You probably needed a hug, but here’s another edition 🫂
Missed us? Some wild things have happened in the past two weeks, so it’s time for a debrief. Some of us gained an extra hour of daylight. Some of us got caught out by one or two April Fool’s Day posts. And some of us were the King of England playing music on a carrot… or maybe just one of us. All relatable experiences, obviously. Let’s get started 👇
What’s Gone Viral? 👀
Just want the headlines? Here’s a peek at some of the bigger viral convos before we dive into trends and the more… unhinged.
Coachella 2025 kicks off this week - and there’s DRAMA
One of the biggest US music festivals is back for another year, and it’s looking like a biggie. With last-minute acts JUST dropping and others just plain dropping out, there’s a tonne of buzz already. Bring on the memes and viral moments from the next fortnight…
CinemaCon 2025 gave us film geeks some exciting updates
Alongside exclusive footage from projects such as Wicked: For Good, Jurassic World Rebirth and Fantastic Four, the event also spilled the beans on brand new titles, such as four Beatles biopics starring everyone’s favourite internet boyfriends - with some unhappy fans recasting it themselves.
Robert Irwin was revealed as a new brand icon for Bonds
…but surely you already know that isn’t why this went viral. Nope, the internet has gone feral because our beloved Wildlife Warrior- and son of the late Steve Irwin - stripped to his ‘down unders’ for the brand’s latest photoshoot. Our fave reaction? “I was born in 1989. My elder eyes shan’t look upon this”[EN]: He’s 21, to save you googling.
Don’t worry, there’s more…
Trending Format Alert 🚨
Every now and then, a TikTok trend will completely dominate our FYPs. Lately, one we’ve all been seeing from users and brands alike is “Everyone always asks me”
Want to know how to install a window? You’re not finding out here. Sit down and learn how to get a library card, idiot. This trend has recently shot to fame and, by using the template of “Everyone always asks me X” + “I don’t know, my name is X and X”, has a great base formula to build on for any brand. It also isn’t limited to a particular audience, so get this into your content calendars ASAP.
TikTok Brand Champion 🏆
We know you’re desperate to find out who gets the gold star on our TikTok classroom chart this fortnight - so, without further ado, here it is. And it’s… a bank? 💸
That’s right, Monzo gets our pick! It’s easy to create content when your product or service lends itself naturally to fun trends, but finance? That’s where we need to get more creative. Monzo are a perfect example of how you can adapt most trends and topical moments to suit your brand AND rack up views, no matter how ‘plain’ and ‘non-sexy’ the industry might seem.
Monzo have really honed their strategy to sprinkle in entertainment-first content amongst the educational, such as the above POV format, dessert audio and even the viral Ashton Hall morning routine we know and loathe. Their content is rooted in community – with observational comedy at its core – and their ability to put their own unique spin on a wide variety of trends makes them the perfect match for a platform that prides itself on creative interpretation.
More Industry News 🗞️
Looking for a specific industry or topic?
Say no more. Here’s a selection of a few bonus newsworthy moments and trends, organised into categories, ‘Type A’ style.
Travel & Hospitality ✈️
Rafael Nadal serves up a Mediterranean getaway by launching his own hotel
Virgin have been given the green light to rival Eurostar with a new channel tunnel train
Keep rollin, rollin, rollin, rollin… your holiday outfits because it’s THE best way to pack
Food & Beverage 🍔
Sporting legend to entrepreneur 2.0? Here’s Lewis Hamilton’s non-alcoholic tequila
‘Dubai chocolate’ walked so Aldi’s ‘Dubai ice cream’ could run… maybe? Might just melt.
Corona is celebrating the arrival of summer (eventually) with ‘lime-slice sunsets’
Art & Design 🎨
The 63rd edition of Milan Design Week began yesterday (7th April), here’s what to expect
The V&A’s fashion wing will soon become the Burberry Gallery following a transformation
“Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed”… but matcha green?
Sport & Automotive ⚽️
12 teams. Celeb managers. New rules. Is the UK’s Baller League a new era for football?
The Masters is nearly back, with a lot at stake for Rory McIlroy & Scottie Scheffler…
Luke Humphries received backlash after his comments on the current darts schedule
And one last thing before we go…
Trending Format Alert 🚨
April has been all about unhinged hacks so far, and we’re enjoying it. A lot. The top tips given by commenters on these posts are a tad unconventional. Need to study? Play Mario Kart’s Coconut Mall on repeat. Job hunting? Include a QR code to ABBA in your CV ✍️
Go through this audio if you need more tips…
As we know, all good things must come to an end (someone please tell the writers of Grey’s Anatomy). So for now, we must say goodbye. But… we’re back again in two weeks!
Live, laugh, love,
The Culture Lab team 👋
