Happy Wicked week for all those who celebrate! More to come on that imminently.
As we creep into household-arguments-over-the-heating territory, we’re here to warm you from within with our finest selection of this fortnight’s shenanigans.
Spoiler alert: unfortunately some of that heat may be a result of rage. Yes, we’re looking at you Sky Sports 😡
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.
Wicked is back for a second helping of virality
Unless you’ve truly been living under a rock (or undertaking the most rigorous of social detoxes) you can’t have possibly missed the Ariana & Cynthia-led vortex of Wicked 2 promo that’s been taking up serious space on timelines. The sheer number of brand collabs alone has been staggering – this article lists over 120 🤯 which begs the question, how many of those have really hit the mark and how many slip into the ‘bandwagon’ bin? On a more uplifting note, however, it has undoubtedly been a win for disability representation on screen.
Sky Sports axes ‘sexist’ TikTok channel after three days
If you think you’re having a bad day, at least you aren’t the Head of Social at Sky Sports 🙏 In one fell swoop, the brand alienated half of the UK and enraged a huge chunk of their loyal audience when they launched ‘Halo’ – a female-focused TikTok channel. Strike one came from them labelling it as the “little sister” account, and the tone deaf execution snowballed from there. How has this happened in 2025? Our guess is not many women, if any, were present in the decision-making process. A lesson in how important it is to take a step back from your shiny new idea and really think about the target audience you’re trying to reach.
Hold. The. Phone. Vine is returning?!
Forget roadwork ahead (I sure hope it does), the only thing coming up that we care about is Jack Dorsey funding diVine (a Vine reboot with the full video archive 😱😱). It’s been a long nine years of mourning since the app shut down in 2016, but we are soback, besties. This announcement is a beautiful pièce de résistance of the whole "nostalgia” movement we’ve been noticing more on feeds – made all the more poignant by the promise there will be a ban on AI content on this platform. A very interesting line in the sand.
Trending Audio Alert 🚨
This week’s trending audio is simple and effective, but that’s often the winning formula for successful content, right?
The “I love life again” audio was an original from the creator adventurefamdam who paired it with some idyllic clips of camping, and since then it’s spread like wildfire. Users have been putting it behind universally recognised moments of bliss, from floating in clear oceans to getting a sweet treat.
It’s a super easy one for brands to utilise too – like these examples from Mure and Grand &Tree Hut, which position their products in an aspirational way. Even the history nerdshistory nerds (complimentary, ofc) have got on board. We love a crowdpleaser.
Brand Champion 🏆
We’ve spotlighted international household names for too long. It’s time to put some respect on the little guys for once. We’re heading to Bristol, where there’s one restaurant in particular that brings the heat 🌶️
Urban Tandoor is an unsuspecting restaurant that has far more to satisfy your appetite than kormas and poppadoms. When it comes to their TikTok content, these guys ✨serve✨.
They’ve built a fan-base of over 250K followers and it’s not hard to see why. They have an incredibly on-the-pulse marketing genius behind their account, with lightning quick reactivity to trends and cultural moments that are executed with their own authentic twist. The brand’s sense of humour shines through every piece of content, but importantly, they always connect it back to their world of expertise; Indian cuisine. It’s not just jumping on a trend aimlessly, they adapt and expand to make truly entertaining videos.
With over 12.3M likes, they’re living proof that lack of proximity isn’t a barrier to building an online community that want to consume and connect with good content. Their ‘Stranger Singhs’ spin off is reason alone for a follow, come on.
It got us thinking over here at Culture Lab of all the niche accounts on our follow list that we’ll probably never get to visit or experience in real life. Does that make us any less of a stan? Nope.
Shoot for the moon regional accounts, we’re rooting for you.
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 ✈️
Here’s how to save big by booking on Travel Tuesday.
New anxiety unlocked: watch out for AI ruining your travel plans.
How far would you travel for beauty?
Music & Entertainment 🎤
Charli XCX just launched her own substack. Blogging just got Brat?
Labubu the movie. Please, make it stop.
In case you missed it, here’s a round up of the TikTok Awards.
Tech & Sport ⚽️
Anthony Joshua is the latest to accept Jake Paul as an opponent. Good business or tarnished rep?
The newest Apple audacity – introducing the iPhone… Pocket?
Alright, alright, alright. Matthew McConaughey & Michael Caine sign AI voice deal.
Food & Drink 🍹
We can’t get enough of the Waitrose Christmas ad. Huge year for Joe Wilkinson.
Dubbed the ‘Super Bowl’ of the baking world, this is an event worth attending.
Brawls over the Starbucks Christmas menu. We just… Never mind.
Trending Format Alert 🚨
You know us Brits love an ironic trend 😏 and this ‘Wonders of the World’ carousel from supermarket giant, Tesco, is a masterclass in lo-fi execution that just gets it.
And that’s a wrap! We’ll be on the lookout for all the best trends and tricks to keep your content fresh. Our team love a challenge, so you know where to find us if you need assistance dipping your toe into the world of reactive.
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Live, laugh, love,
The Culture Lab team ❄️
