I like to move it move it (9.27.24)

At this point, most of you know Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo that’s captured the adoration of the world (and Internet). And by adoration, I mean borderline obsession.

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What you may not know about Vogue’s latest ‘it’ animal, however, is that there are beauty influencers trying to make Moo Deng makeup happen.

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And this isn’t even ‘peak 2024’, people.

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Not that I’m not here for some wholesome viral content in our current climate; however, this intersection of Moo Deng and beauty isn’t, as Glamour pointed out, “perhaps [because] we seek to access our inner Moo Deng—adorable, ungovernable, confident—and the ritualistic application of cosmetics as we gaze into the mirror allows us time and space to consider how we might get there?”

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In reality, it is finding ways to go viral when your 15 minutes of fame has been shrunk to 15 seconds as people endlessly scroll their social and/or content platform of choice. A+ for creativity, and a stellar opportunity to glean insights for marketers.

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Gone are the days of simply trying to tap into the latest cultural trend. Thanks to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, what’s “demure” today is done tonight. Culture has never moved quicker, nor has the inevitable shaping of our norms. If culture provides the norms around rules and ways of behaving in society, this ever-changing atmosphere most likely stirs up (sub)conscious disconnect and discomfort amongst consumers.

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For brand constantly chasing the trending high, it behooves you to consider what are the outcomes you’re seeking? Is it virality? It it being in the cultural zeitgeist? Is it driving long-tail impact? Understanding your goals can help a brand tread the line between leveraging the latest meme vs. becoming it. While nearly every brand yearns to be a part of culture, developing a content brand strategy that places brand goals and positioning at the core will enable you to determine what trends to align with, and which to leave alone.

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So, whether you’re chasing the next Moo Deng or seeking to align with more legacy cultural cornerstones, how can you develop your path to content development and differentiation while driving your brand goals?