It’s Not Brain Rot: Scrolling is Upgraded Channel Surfing

Authored by Kaileen Gaul Robin Sacawa Abbey Engrav Jon Comulada and Hannah Hickman

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The culture of gathering around the TV and yelling when your sibling flips past "Scrubs” was long gone with the invention of recording. However, the behavior of channel surfing, or seeking out “topical” content, has gotten better with algorithmic targeting. Though we are not all consuming simultaneously, being caught up on short form episodic content is still very real.??

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It gets a bad rep, but scrolling through content isn’t necessarily “brain rot,” since the driver of this shift is likely a search to disconnect from the seriousness around us and be, you know, entertained. Just like individuals did with mindless back and forth channel surfing for something familiar, individuals are now following this same logic on social media.???

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And the standout entertainment leaders are following suit.?

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Think of your favorite podcast. Whether it’s?Giggly Squad, The Joe Rogan Experience, Pivot,?or now?Armchair Expert?(finally), all of these podcasts rely on their video versions just as much, if not more than, the original audio format. As do late night talk shows like?The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,?Jimmy Kimmel,?SNL?and?The Daily Show. These longer-form TV shows know that they need to turn to social to reach new, bigger audiences. ?

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What’s interesting to come out of this shift is the creator and individual-led popularity of digestible and repeatable formats. By this point, we assume most individuals reading this have likely seen?Hot Ones, “on the street” videos like?Subway Takes?or?The Dogist, editorial sites like?Vanity Fair’s?lie detector test?series?or Buzzfeed’s?Puppy Interview...?And honestly, who hasn’t seen the?Andrew Garfield Chicken Shop Date?(or memes around it) at this point???

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These social-first series are becoming “musts” on the media tour circuit for A-list celebs. Scott Evans from Access Hollywood is one of the newer series,?House Guest,?taking off following?Cynthia Erivo’s visit?for her Wicked press tour.?

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Most surprisingly, Reesa Teesa from?“Who TF Did I Marry?”?fame has even been able to?translate her TikTok series into a TV deal.?What more proof do we need that individuals are craving expected storylines, repeatable formats, and the feeling of connection through video??

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What this means for brands:??

• Individuals on social are craving the comfort of episodic content:Whether a social video series, an “on the street” take, or a podcast series, for many, the communities surrounding these shows – in real life, in the comment section, purchasing the swag – are just as important as the shows themselves. While chasing social trends and being first is fun short-term, it shouldn’t be everything. Repeatable formats, whether video or static, are not new. As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.?

• Humanizing your brand:?Want to show the diversity of talent, thinking, and storytellers at your brand? Start by putting your own talent in the forefront! Modern thought leadership and corporate communication aren’t just about C-Suite interviews. Collaborating with employees through content allows brands to highlight their biggest assets (the people) and push their social tone with more humor and playfulness. And if you don’t have the right storytellers internally, that’s the perfect time to partner with a Creator who can elevate the story seamlessly AND pull in a broader audience (like Malcolm Gladwell’s partnership for?Smart Talks with IBM’s?series).?