Silence, Brand! 06.25.24
🦀 Parisian poop, why everyone is counting to eight on TikTok, and MIA's tin foil hats
Don't get caught looking out of place. Here's everything you need to know about what’s happening on the internet to sound smart in front of your boss, compiled by unhinged marketing professionals:
What the internet is talking about right now:
Parisian Poop Problem
The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics are just around the corner. Still, a stinky controversy is bubbling up over the Seine River, where high levels of bacteria from sewage have residents threatening a mass defecation protest.
A cheeky website with the hashtag #JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin is taunting officials like President Macron and Mayor Hidalgo, who promised to swim in the river to prove it's safe. A calculator on the site helps users time their "contributions" for maximum impact. The swim has since been postponed.
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'I'm In My Mum's Car' [again]
It's been 10 years since Tristan Simmonds' iconic "I'm in my mum's car, broom broom" Vine went viral, and he's just posted an updated version featuring his niece in the driver's seat. Fans were thrilled to see the nostalgic recreation and shared their excitement in the comments, with many noting Tristan's transition and reminiscing about the golden days of Vine.
500-year-old China shipwrecks
Maritime archaeologists have retrieved hundreds of artifacts from two centuries-old shipwrecks recently discovered in the South China Sea, dating back to the Ming dynasty. The artifacts include pottery, porcelain, copper coins, and wood logs, shedding light on trade and cultural exchange during that time period.
‘Rawdogging’ Flights
A small group of men have gone viral for their unconventional in-flight entertainment choice: watching the real-time flight map for the entire duration of their flights, a practice they refer to as "rawdogging" or "flying raw." For some, this unusual choice is a form of meditation, while others see it as a challenge to see how fully they can deprive themselves of creature comforts during a flight.
Welcome back to The Bean
After nearly a year of renovations, Chicago's iconic Cloud Gate, also known as "The Bean," has reopened to the public in Millennium Park. The sculpture, a major tourist attraction, underwent construction to rebuild the plaza podium, replace pavers, and make accessibility upgrades, drawing thousands of visitors annually.
Hawk Tuah Girl: Who is she & what's her real name?
The Hawk Tuah meme girl, Hailey Welch, became an internet sensation after her interview with Tim & Dee TV, where she coined the phrase "Hawk Tuah." Her viral fame has led to the creation of memes, merchandise, and even celebrity endorsements.
Memes
"This is going to ruin the tour”
This iconic exchange stems from Justin Timberlake's arrest and the arresting officer not recognizing the celebrity. The context of the catchphrase describes minor inconveniences.
Rubbing Hands Emoji
This static meme features an emoji-style face rubbing its hands together paired with text describing the user's ideal hangout or function.
Formats
Cosmo Yapping
This clip from The Soft White Underbelly YouTube channel features Los Angeles stylist Cosmo Lombino, aka The Queen of Melrose, and embodies the true meaning of "yapping." Twitter users and TikTokkers are pairing this clip with text on screen to describe situations where people are oversharing in inappropriate situations.
Sounds
Sabrina Carpenter x Abba
This evergreen trending TikTok audio is a delightful mashup of Sabrina Carpenters' 'Please Please Please' and Abba's 'Dancing Queen.'
"Gimme 14 of 'em Right Now"
This trending TikTok audio features a man enthusiastically complimenting his meal, saying, "Spectacular. Gimmie 14 of 'em right now." TikTokkers are using it to show off their favorite things. There is also a green screen CapCut version.
Go give him some sugar
TikTokkers are using this audio from Regular Show to narrate a scenario where they made a big mistake.
I can’t stop winning
The antithesis of the "let's go gambling" audio, this "let's be financially responsible" TikTok audio is used to describe winning scenarios.
Dog Drummers
TikTok pet owners are using their paws to drum out a beat.
Counting a cappella
This TikTok audio of two women counting to eight on the same beat is popping off, with many users agreeing that the way they say “6, 7, 8” is the most satisfying. This trend is just taking off, but it already has a Jersey Club remix and people attempting the counting challenges themselves.
Now for a more granular look at moments across the web:
BTS Minions
BTS members are transformed into minions in a new Funko Pop collection in collaboration with "Despicable Me 4," available for pre-order on the Entertainment Earth website. The collaboration celebrates a new character in the upcoming film, Poppy Prescott, who identifies as a member of BTS ARMY. It also includes a capsule featuring Minions x BTS mash-up art inspired by BTS' iconic outfits.
New Posthumous Sophie Album
On Monday, her family announced the release of a posthumous album titled Sophie, dropping on September 27, featuring unreleased tracks and the first single "Reason Why" with Kim Petras and BC Kingdom. The album promises to take listeners on a wild ride through her musical journey, from mysterious unknowns to euphoric clublands. Plus, keep an eye out for cryptic teasers on her YouTube and social media accounts—Sophie’s unique sound world is about to light up your life!
RIP, MTV News
MTV has taken down over two decades' worth of content from MTVNews.com and its sister site, CMT.com, leaving former staffers and fans outraged. The move comes as part of Paramount Global's financial struggles, with the loss of the archives being particularly devastating for music and pop culture enthusiasts.
RIP, Shifty Shellshock
Lead singer and co-founder of Crazy Town, Seth Binzer, also known as Shifty Shellshock, has passed away at the age of 49 in Los Angeles. The cause of death is currently under investigation. Binzer and Crazy Town found success with their hit single "Butterfly" in 2000, but the band faced challenges and broke up before reuniting years later.
Music labels sue AI companies for copyright infringement
Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records have filed lawsuits against AI companies Suno and Udio, accusing them of mass copyright infringement by using the labels' recordings to train music-generating AI systems. The companies are accused of copying music without permission to create music that will compete with human artists' work, with the labels seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 per song.
Cupcakke Announces First Album In 6 Years Called ‘Dauntless Manifesto’
Cupcakke is set to drop her new album 'Dauntless Manifesto' on June 28th, marking her first album release in 6 years. The rapper took to Twitter to share the news, including the album cover art and release date. Fans are eagerly anticipating the new music.
Sha'Carri Richardson, Olympian
Sha’Carri Richardson clinched her spot at the Paris Olympics with a blazing 10.71-second sprint in the 100 meters at the U.S. track trials, making her the fastest woman in the world this year. Despite a less-than-stellar start, Richardson finished strong, leaving her competitors in the dust and proving she’s not just back, but better.
Welcome to Bloxburg
Bloxburg is now free for all Roblox users, marking the end of its five-year beta phase. This exciting development has brought an influx of new players eager to explore the virtual world of Bloxburg. However, some veteran users have expressed frustration with the influx of newcomers, citing various issues such as overcrowding and changes in the community dynamics.
Elden Ring: Best Reviewed Expansion
The developer of Witcher 3 congratulated the developer of Elden Ring after the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion became the best-reviewed expansion ever, surpassing Blood and Wine. Shadow of the Erdtree has a Metascore of 95, while Blood and Wine sits at 92, with IGN giving Shadow of the Erdtree a 10/10 review. CD Projekt is currently working on a new game set in the Witcher universe, but it won't be released until 2025 at the earliest.
Dr. Disrespect acknowledges Twitch ban
Streamer issues a statement addressing his ban from Twitch, apologizing for his actions and taking responsibility for inappropriate conversations with a minor. He denies being a predator but acknowledges his mistake and plans to take an extended vacation before returning to streaming.
Facial Harmony
TikTokkers compare how their individual facial features contrast with the overall composition of their faces, pointing out bad facial features with good harmony and good facial features with bad facial harmony.
This is not the first time we have seen this type of comparison trend from TikTok. At the end of the year, facial symmetry trended with TikTok filters designed to showcase well-balanced facial features.
M.I.A. introduces tin foil hats
M.I.A. recently appeared on Alex Jones' Infowars show to promote her new clothing line, Ohmni, which aims to protect privacy and autonomy in the age of “digital warfare,” including shielding the wearer from 4G, 5G, electromagnetic waves, and wi-fi. The brand's mission statement emphasizes the importance of preserving rights over body and data, and the company responded to criticism with a sassy Instagram post.
Walmart dynamic pricing
Walmart is rolling out digital shelf labels to 2,300 stores over the next two years, allowing for easier price changes and stock tracking. While the company insists the program will not be used for dynamic pricing, consumers are wary of the possibility and concerned about potential price fluctuations.
George Santos OnlyFans 👀
Former Rep. George Santos, who was expelled from the House, has announced that he is joining the creative platform OnlyFans, despite facing federal indictment on 23 counts of wire fraud and identity theft. Santos assured his followers that his OnlyFans account will not include anything sexual and will offer exclusive behind-the-scenes content.
RIP, Tamayo Perry
Legendary Honolulu surfer, lifeguard, and actor Tamayo Perry died in a shark attack near Goat Island at the age of 49. Local officials and colleagues praised Perry's infectious personality and professional surfing skills, remembering him as a beloved member of the community and a highly respected waterman.
TMNT Comics Relaunch
IDW's upcoming relaunch of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book series is highly anticipated, with over 300,000 preorders for the first issue. The series will feature stunning variant covers by artist Danny Earls and colorist Jão Canola, packed with Easter eggs and nods to the TMNT franchise, and will focus on each Turtle individually across the first four issues before bringing the family back together in issue #5.
RIP, TikTok’s AI Tool
TikTok's new AI avatars launch took a turn for the worse when it was discovered that the avatars were creating unmoderated and unmarked videos, including reciting an excerpt from Hitler's "Mein Kampf." The platform had hoped businesses would use the avatars to launch new products, but this unexpected glitch has caused a major setback.
Crabs can’t read … But you can!
Here are some good reads we picked from around the web:
Boston Globe: How the Celtics digital media team won over the hearts of fans and sponsors
Wired: Meta to use public Facebook, Instagram content to train AI
LA Taco: Meet the L.A. Influencer Who Is Trying to Get Famous By Never Tipping at Restaurants and Bars
GWI: Social Media Trends
Silence, Brand! is an internet culture and marketing newsletter compiled by unhinged brand marketing professionals.
Thank you to this installment’s contributors: Ryan Benson, Dayna Castillo, Todd Needle, Mari Funkhouser