So, November was… heavy. Without getting too far into it, the internet had a bit of a hard time finding peace in the storm of political turmoil and division. However, a few hearty trends did manage to break through the noise and bring us all a little laughter and inspiration.
People found great ways to highlight the things that get them out of a funk, to show off what fills up their week, and to ask for what they really want out of someone else in a cute way.
So what trends dominated the social media airwaves during the month of November? Let’s take a look and see what we can learn from them in order to keep the ideas flowing with next month’s content.
We are calling this one the “Camera Flip” trend. If you haven’t seen it (you probably have), don’t worry – we’ll provide examples.
Users executed this trend by recording whatever is in front of them with text onscreen, speaking as someone else and making a bold statement about something they don’t have the power to say or shouldn’t be caught saying. Toward the end of the audio, users would then double tap on their screen to turn the camera around, supposedly “by accident”, and reveal themselves as the person who would, in fact, benefit from the bold statement. They then quickly make a startled face like, “Oops, didn’t mean to do that”, ending the video.
Creators, celebrities, and brands alike had fun with this trend, garnering millions of likes and views with their witty timing and facial expressions. If you still can’t quite picture it, or you just want to laugh a bit, here are a few good examples:
Why it works: This trend works for any kind of hot take you want to give out – even if it’s a goofy one from the perspective of your dog. The audio is 5 seconds long and is perfect material for getting people to loop your video over and over – whether they mean to or not.
Call-Out: Look for quick and easy trends to hop on that will take practically no time at all to record; it gets the laughs and maximizes shareability if you do it right.
A recent, kind of random (not us, different random) trend that took the internet by storm in November was the “Chill Guy/Girl” meme consisting of a cartoon dog that is really just the epitome of… chill. (Pictured below)
The Chill Guy first landed on the internet after being posted by his assumed creator, Phillip Banks, on X in October 2023. However, this laid-back dude didn’t get his time in the sun until November of this year when he somehow resurfaced on our screens and became possibly the hottest meme of the eleventh month. Users quickly brought Chill Guy into practically every type of content imaginable, using the image as a visual aid to a caption like “When [x negative thing] is happening, but I’m just a chill guy”.
Creators have used it to call out something that they rise above despite its annoying nature – like a yelling significant other or traffic being crazy, for example – because they’re just a “chill guy”. Of course, the “Chill Girl” meme quickly followed suit to let others in on the action, producing a mass wave of “chill” across a not-so-chill post-election time.
The possibilities seem truly endless, but here are a few that cracked us up:
One brand that hopped on board was Dunkin’*, who earned the praise of many commenters, impressed with their ability to execute a trend so early in its life.
*Unfortunately, Dunkin has since taken this post down due to the artist’s recent X post explaining that he is taking legal action against anyone using his artwork for for-profit purposes, so please don’t use this for your brand’s social media even as the trend dies off. Just be on the lookout for similar content like this!
Why it works: By finding something unexpected and relatable to share, the internet has successfully created another meme that will soon be gone but not totally forgotten. These are the perfect kinds of trends to jump on to snag the attention of the everyday user and solidify your brand in someone’s mind as trendy and “on top of it”.
Call-Out: Keep an eye out for these fast-rising trends, even if they are here today and gone tomorrow. It’s this kind of content that unites the internet in laughter and shows onlookers that you are keeping up with the times – even if in a silly social media capacity.
A common theme with a lot of social media trends is to share a hot take or say what everyone is thinking but won’t say. In November, many creators used an audio derived from the queen of “saying what everyone is thinking” - Ramona Singer of The Real Housewives of New York City - in a scene where she responds to something apparently upsetting with “Oh, thank God!” and then covers her mouth like she can’t believe she just said that.
People lip-synced to this audio with text over their heads - giving an example of something sad, annoying, or infuriating that someone else could say to them that would make them say “Thank God!” (as opposed to being shocked and appalled like the other person would want them to be).
Some of the examples got a little… dark (LOL), but overall, this trend merited a few good laughs. Here are some good ones we found:
Why it works: Sometimes it feels a little good to be bad when it comes to trends on the internet, and like we said, people tend to jump on the opportunity to share their hot take or possibly controversial (but not ultimately harmful) opinion.
Call-Out: Don’t be afraid to get a little sassy with your content, as long as it’s not meant to alienate your audience or start drama. If you feel like you’ve got an opinion that others would resonate with, take the opportunity to position yourself as a relatable creator/brand that represents the people.
Arguably the best “dating” show on the internet – Chicken Shop Date – has once again produced the perfect audio for users to pass around. Amelia Dimoldenberg, the show’s hilarious host, recently had a (play)date with the one and only Elmo of Sesame Street, and picked his brain on topics like his star sign, the perfect hug, and his best life advice.
The adorably relatable moment that came out of this video happened when Amellia asked Elmo about his “five year plan”. (*Shudder*) Elmo, much like many of us, was taken aback by the question and spat out “Elmo doesn’t really know what he’s going to do in the next five hours.” As you might have guessed (or seen), the part of the internet that prides itself on living in the present and not being too ✨forward-thinking✨ had a hay day with this clip and began a surge of lipsyncing videos that left everyone chuckling.
Here are a few examples that we just felt:
Why it works: There are few things the internet loves more than to unite and poke fun at expectations that surround young (and not-so-young) people. This audio is quick and easy to lipsync, and relates to a multitude of folks that use the internet every day.
Call-Out: Don’t be too quick to dismiss a chance to lip-sync to a TikTok and Instagram Reels audio; they’re doing well for a reason. If you have the time, you might just have the next winning video idea right under your nose.
As we conclude our dive into November’s trending memes and digital highlights, it’s evident that the online world continues to thrive with boundless creativity. From clever spins on everyday humor to catchy sounds that resonate with millions, these trends have not only kept us entertained but also demonstrated powerful ways to engage with audiences. By embracing these lessons, creators can position themselves to ride the next wave of viral content. Let’s stay alert to new opportunities and keep pushing social boundaries as we step into December and the new year!
At That RANDOM Agency, we utilize two of our core values — curiosity and collaboration — to bring you consistent content that helps you learn about the great digital landscape and how to operate like a boss within it. Check out our other blog posts on our Random Thoughts page or schedule a discovery call today!
