The Top 7 Viral Moments of 2023
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A troll, a keyboard warrior and a sh*tposter walk into a bar. What do they all have in common? Each one has contributed to the virality of a social media trend in 2023. When we look beneath the surface, can we observe anything hiding beneath the wall of comments and hearts? Let’s take a retrospective look at some of our favourite social media viral moments of 2023 and unearth why they claimed virality.
Barbenheimer
Barbie’s marketing team had the internet buzzing after they kicked off their social media campaign with the iconic ‘This Barbie is a…’ tile format in July. The template quickly caught fire, and everyone was engineering their own unique versions, brands and internet users alike. (You can read more about the campaign here.)
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To add fuel to the fire, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ was slated to be released in theatres on the same day as ‘Barbie’ and explosive comparisons followed. Fake movie posters were made, memes circulated, and social commentary was deduced—ultimately poking fun at the stark difference of aesthetic these two films offered. A cultural phenomenon was born, with internet users proposing a ‘double viewing’ of the two films upon their release, touting that cinema had ‘officially returned’. There’s even a Wikipedia page dedicated to the phenomenon.
HAPPY BARBENHEIMER RELEASE WEEK pic.twitter.com/9rMbMPvr62
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 17, 2023
Which now begs the question—are you more Barbie or Oppenheimer?
MSCHF’s Big Red Boots
These boots were made for walking, or, at least, kind of. In February of this year, the oversized, cartoon-shaped megaboot, aptly named ‘Big Red Boot’ stepped out to tepid applause amid its release for the art collective MSCHF’s often controversial product lines (see: Lil Nas X’s Satan Shoes). The release took TikTok and Twitter by storm, with users drawing comparisons to Astro Boy and other various cartoon characters.
What are your thoughts on the @mschf Big Red Boot? pic.twitter.com/Y8U9yLPo3p
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) February 6, 2023
An exaggeration of the popular Y2K style, in particular, the resurgence of Moon Boots, MSCHF’s BRB eventually got demoted as another fleeting micro trend. Strategically, the shoe was geared to appeal to fashion-conscious Gen Z’rs—which worked in building the social media hype—but simultaneously carved out its downfall. Gen Z, perhaps the most insecure generation of our time, may not have the courage or tenacity of Astro Boy to walk down the street in these Big Red Boots.
AI and the #YearBookChallenge
In 2023, AI emerged as a valuable tool for the workplace. However, its popularity had people playing with this new toy, including some apps vying for monetary gain. Epik, an app developed by South Korea’s Snow Corporation, charges users $10 to upload photos of themselves and utilise their likenesses to spit out AI-painted portraits. As a result, the #YearBookChallenge emerged in October, transforming users into 90’s school kids, donned in gym gear, glasses or a cheerleader outfit, all appearing in front of a distinct blue background. The trend saw users share their purchased AI artworks on their personal platforms, particularly on Instagram.
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AI trends seem to work because they capitalise on an internet user’s innate desire to share flattering photos of themselves online, which AI (and by extension the developers of these apps), conveniently seem to ensure as part of their output.
The Tube Girl Effect
The official First Lady of Juicy Couture was ordained in September of this year. Taking London’s Tube Network, Sabrina Bahsoon, confidently records herself dancing in public, seemingly not caring about others watching on. Her inspiring confidence encouraged others to partake in the trend on TikTok and now we have a term for it, dubbed ‘the Tube Girl Effect’.
@lohannysant The result video from the POV tik tok 🥰 #tubegirl #nycsubwaygirl #tubegirleffect ♬ greedy – Tate McRae
Rihanna Takes to the Superbowl
In February, Rihanna’s Superbowl performance, choreographed by Parris Goebel, saw the superstar remind us that she was a singer first before a beauty mogul. However, there is no doubt that her invitation to perform felt like an attempt to satiate fans during her no-music drought (seriously, it’s been 7 years)—oh, and to announce her second pregnancy. Rihanna’s iconic performance inspired a gamut of Twitter memes at the conclusion of her half-time show, including this famous stare which is still circulating today. People also commented on the backup dancers, particularly this sequence of the choreography.
@eljacobodosdos #mcdonaldsbeep #mcdonaldorder #mcdonalds #rihannasuperbowl2023 #rihanna ♬ Fast Food Restaurant Ambience (Version 3) [People Ordering Burger Joint] [Background Ambient Noise Sound Effect] – Finnolia Sound Effects
The Year of Pedro Pascal
TikTok’s favourite daddy melted hearts and ovaries everywhere after the actor’s slingshot into superstardom, appearing in lead roles for the smash-hit HBO series ‘The Last of Us’ and Disney’s ‘The Mandalorian’ in the first quarter of the year. By March, everyone seemed to collectively fall in love with Pedro Pascal, inspiring ‘Thirst Edits’ of the star appearing in interviews, on screen or on the red carpet.
@philocalyedits he’s my what? #pedropascal ♬ original sound – rmfc – soph🦋
Thirst Edits are not new to social media, in particular, within the K-Pop fanbase on Twitter. However, much like how the Korean music industry has expanded to Western shores, fan edits have been assembled to dote on Western stars like Pedro Pascal on TikTok. These edits hold no prisoners, however, like this tension-loaded interaction between RnB singer Tyla and Talk Show Host Bianca Ingrosso. It’s a jeering, unserious trend that sees the TikTok community collectively acknowledge their surrender to the beautiful.
Beyonce Mute Challenge
If Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance Tour’ wasn’t already a cultural revolution, the ‘Everybody on Mute’ challenge helped fans connect with her tour around the world, especially if they were unable to secure tickets or travel to her show.
By September, users on TikTok began recording themselves during the concert as Beyonce encouraged the audience to remain quiet during a section of her song ‘Energy’. The challenge has incited a competition in each city she visits, with concertgoers competing to become the winners of the quietest crowd.
@9637phurk the whole stadium was on mute #renaissance #renaissanceworldtour #renaissancetour #beyoncemutechallenge #mercedesbenzstadium #atlanta #everbodyonmute ♬ original sound – 9637phurk
It’s been a growing concern within the live music scene that concertgoers prefer to watch shows through their phone rather than embrace the feeling IRL. What Beyonce’s challenge achieves is allowing fans to partake in the inevitable while also connecting audiences across the globe and giving them a memorable video to revisit.
CONCLUSION
Social media trends are indicative of the collective hive mind of Gen Z and what they deem interesting enough to spotlight. 2023 had a wealth of trends to choose from, with the majority of them being focused on concert-going, train-hopping and cinema viewing, which are all activities we can enjoy now that Miss Corona has officially left the chat.
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