Late last year, the Internet sensation ‘Tebowing’ became a worldwide phenomena, and #Shamrocking hopes to follow in its footsteps. #Shamrocking is the latest manufactured posing trend and is reminiscent of planking, owling and Jolieing. #Shamrocking consists of the subject purchasing a Shamrock shake from McDonald’s and doing an Irish jig pose with said shake in hand.
#Shamrocking hopes to garner more fan fare than McDonald’s earlier attempt to captivate the Twitter stratosphere with #McStories. Their previous attempt was swiftly over taken with horror stories rather than uplifting ones. At the very least, #Shamrocking will get people to embrace their inner Irish in the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. The posing meme may be susceptible to humorous St. Patrick’s Day parodies, such as #Guinnessing. While the verdict is still out on #Shamrocking, what is certain is that McDonald’s is eager to embrace new venues to captivate fans.
Fast Food Memes
#Shamrocking Has Users Posing for St. Patricks Day
Trend Themes
1. Purchasing Trend - #Shamrocking is the latest manufactured posing trend that involves purchasing a Shamrock shake from McDonald's and striking an Irish jig pose with it, presenting an opportunity for fast food chains to create limited edition products for viral marketing.
2. Pose Memes - The rise of #Shamrocking and other pose memes like planking, owling, and Jolieing showcases the potential for viral trends that can be capitalized on by businesses in the beauty, fashion, and photography industries.
3. Social Media Marketing - The attempt by McDonald's to create viral hashtags like #Shamrocking and #McStories highlights the increasing importance of social media marketing for businesses in the food and beverage industry, providing an opportunity for other fast food chains to innovate and stay relevant.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food Chains - The popularity of trend hashtags like #Shamrocking and the potential for viral marketing suggests that fast food chains can benefit from creating unique experiences and limited edition products to engage customers and increase sales.
2. Beauty Industry - Pose memes like #Shamrocking and planking present an opportunity for the beauty industry to create unique products and tutorials that cater to the trends, such as makeup looks inspired by popular poses.
3. Photography Industry - The rise of pose memes like #Shamrocking and owling offers an opportunity for photography studios and photographers to offer specialized photoshoots that capture these trendy poses and provide customers with memorable experiences.