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Top 100 Viral Trends in 2017

From Fidget Spinners to Animated Short Films

— January 28, 2018 — Pop Culture
Viral trends in 2017 reveal the power of the Internet in inspiring businesses, as well as viral culture's ability to enhance representation for groups that are often under-represented in the mainstream media.

This past year, the unexpectedly viral fidget spinner meme ended up turning into a business for many brands. Examples of fidget spinners popping up on the market include the small spinning Vinci Ring, Spinneroo's connected fidget spinners, and Caviar's luxury fidget spinners.

One of the more impactful viral trends this year was the animated short film called Heartbeat, which was created by the design students Beth David and Esteban Bravo. The short animation quickly began trending on Twitter for its heartwarming representation of a young boy who has a crush on his male classmate – and it received praise for its endearing and inclusive depiction of young love.
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
100
Social Forum-Themed Escape Rooms
Social Forum-Themed Escape Rooms
These Reddit-Themed Escape Rooms Aim to Appeal to the Community
<
99
Star-Backed Political Ads
Star-Backed Political Ads
This W Magazine Campaign Shows Celebrities Singing 'I Will Survive'
<
98
LGBTQ Animated Short Films
LGBTQ Animated Short Films
In a Heartbeat is an Endearing Short Film About a Boy Coming Out
<
97
Satirical Mother's Day Experiments
Satirical Mother's Day Experiments
This Interflora Commercial Ends in a Comedic Twist
<
96
Social Media-Inspired Science Books
Social Media-Inspired Science Books
This Japanese Book Teaches DIY Experiments from YouTube
<
95
Satirical Dreamland Commercials
Satirical Dreamland Commercials
Coop Home Goods' First Commercial References 'Stranger Things'
<
94
Social Media Car Payments
Social Media Car Payments
Opel Made It Possible for Drivers to Buy Its Cars with YouTube Views
<
93
Widget Inspiration Communities
Widget Inspiration Communities
Widget Hunt Provides Inspiration for the Design of Website Widgets
<
92
Animated Challenge Ads
Animated Challenge Ads
This Carlsberg Israel Post Uses an iOS 11 Feature to Boost Engagement
<
91
Parodic Right-Wing Websites
Parodic Right-Wing Websites
'PatriotHole' is the Newest Website from The Onion
<
90
Family-Focused Movie Theater Animations
Family-Focused Movie Theater Animations
'A Balloon For Ben' Inspires Moviegoers to Cherish Family
<
89
Fidget Toy Chat Apps
Fidget Toy Chat Apps
'Fidget Spinner Live' Helps Users Video Chat with Others While Spinning
<
88
Bottle Flip Board Games
Bottle Flip Board Games
YouTube's Matt & Amanda Showed How to Win at Flipping Water Bottles
<
87
Feline-Themed Botany Books
Feline-Themed Botany Books
Stephen Eichhorn's 'Cats & Plants' Book Boasts Floral Collage Art
<
86
Natural Phenomenon Proposals
Natural Phenomenon Proposals
This Northern Lights Marriage Proposal Celebrates Nature's Beauty
<
85
Video Meme Creators
Video Meme Creators
Startup HashCut Lets You Make Your Own Video Memes From YouTube Videos
<
84
Internet Humor Commercials
Internet Humor Commercials
GoDaddy Inc.'s Superbowl Commercial Makes Pop Cultural References
<
83
Connected Fidget Spinners
Connected Fidget Spinners
The BlueSpin Turns Fidget Spinning Into a Connected, Competitive Game
<
82
Comic Fan Engagement Portraits
Comic Fan Engagement Portraits
Megan Moura Captures This Comic Book Store Engagement Series
<
81
Customer-Created Taglines
Customer-Created Taglines
Emerald Nuts' New Tagline, "Yes Good," Was Inspired by a Customer Review
<
80
AI-Optimized Social Marketing
AI-Optimized Social Marketing
Startup Cloud Campaign Improves Social Posts with Machine Learning
<
79
Sealable Pizza Bags
Sealable Pizza Bags
ThinkGeek's Pizza Bags Are Great For Transporting Slices
<
78
Candy Brand Halloween Campaigns
Candy Brand Halloween Campaigns
Mars Inc. Created a Series of Frightening Commercials
<
77
User-Friendly Photography Apps
User-Friendly Photography Apps
The Zen Photo Editor Makes It Easy for Users to Adjust Their Photos
<
76
Non-Branded Fast Food Ads
Non-Branded Fast Food Ads
These Mindy Kaling Commercials for McDonald's Never Feature Its Name
<
75
Pub-Promoting Publicity Stunts
Pub-Promoting Publicity Stunts
This No-Effort Ad by Dave Blackhirst Targets Millennial Audiences
<
74
Senior Endorsement Deals
Senior Endorsement Deals
For Miracle Whip's 84th Birthday, It Endorsed a Senior's Basketball Team
<
73
Celebrity Approved Ice Creams
Celebrity Approved Ice Creams
The Ben & Jerry's Marshmallow Moon is Part of the Special Stash Line
<
72
Mature Beauty Vloggers
Mature Beauty Vloggers
'Korea Grandma' is a 71-Year-Old YouTube Sensation Who Shares Beauty Tips
<
71
Swivelling Laptop Spinners
Swivelling Laptop Spinners
'Minimal 360' is an Accessory That Makes Sharing One's Screen Easier
<
70
Social Media GIF Buttons
Social Media GIF Buttons
Facebook Has Added a Graphics Interchange Format Button to Comments
<
69
Meme-Inspired Money Pouches
Meme-Inspired Money Pouches
MAAD Creatives Redesigned Chinese Red Packets for Young Audiences
<
68
Discreet Fidget Pens
Discreet Fidget Pens
The 'Fidgi Pen' is a Fidget Toy Disguised as a Regular Pen
<
67
Edible Chocolate Websites
Edible Chocolate Websites
Hershey’s Brazil Created a Viral Campaign to Promote Its Chocolate
<
66
Festive Fidget Toy Campaigns
Festive Fidget Toy Campaigns
Zuru's Holiday Campaign Focuses on the #FestiveFidget
<
65
Sentimental Disney Proposals
Sentimental Disney Proposals
This Beauty and the Beast Proposal Took Place at a Rustic Library
<
64
Gen Z Job Apps
Gen Z Job Apps
Money-Making Social Platform Pickle Combines Viral Dares & Micro Job Opportunities
<
63
Life Size AR Games
Life Size AR Games
Super Mario AR Allows You to Play the Nostalgic Game Outside in the Real World
<
62
AR Conservation Games
AR Conservation Games
Safari Central is an Educational Augmented Reality Gaming App About Wildlife
<
61
Pancake Art Games
Pancake Art Games
Eh Bee Family's 'Pancake Art Challenge' is a Head-to-Head YouTube Bout
<
60
Rose-Shaped Doughnuts
Rose-Shaped Doughnuts
These Floral Doughnuts from 'Doughnut Planet' are Almost Too Pretty to Eat
<
59
Fidget Spinner Necklaces
Fidget Spinner Necklaces
Tory Burch's Newest Collection Features Fidget Spinner Accessories
<
58
Edible Fidget Spinners
Edible Fidget Spinners
This Fidget Toy Takes the Form of a Handheld Pie Snack
<
57
Meme-Friendly Automotive Pitchmen
Meme-Friendly Automotive Pitchmen
Chuck Norris and Fiat Professional are Joining Forces on New Ads
<
56
Social Media Movie Concepts
Social Media Movie Concepts
Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o Will Star in a Movie Based on a Tumblr Post
<
55
TV-Inspired Installations
TV-Inspired Installations
This Better Call Saul Pop-Up Was Installed in Saul, Gloucestershire
<
54
Rainbow-Colored Churros
Rainbow-Colored Churros
The Loop's Limited Edition Rainbow-Colored Snacks are Handcrafted
<
53
Social Media-Inspired Mobile Games
Social Media-Inspired Mobile Games
Snapchat's 'Dancing Hotdog' Filter Has Become a Video Game
<
52
Digital Fidget Spinners
Digital Fidget Spinners
Users can Play with a Digital Distraction Tool If They Google 'Spinner'
<
51
Reality Star Fidget Spinners
Reality Star Fidget Spinners
Kim Kardashian Released Her Own Fidget Spinner Gadgets
<
50
Humorous Alcohol Branding
Humorous Alcohol Branding
Emergency Drinking Beer From Wild Heaven Beer is Refreshing and Crisp
<
49
Meme-Inspired Limited-Edition Candies
Meme-Inspired Limited-Edition Candies
The Limited-Edition All-Pink Starburst Packs are a Fan Fave
<
48
Pacifier-Affixed Baby Toys
Pacifier-Affixed Baby Toys
The WubbaNub Pacifier Toys Help to Calm and Soothe a Child
<
47
Carbon Fiber Fidget Spinners
Carbon Fiber Fidget Spinners
The 'MINIMA' High-Quality Fidget Spinners Come in Three Styles
<
46
Feathered Eyebrow Looks
Feathered Eyebrow Looks
These Beauty Bloggers Have Artfully Transformed Their Eyebrows
<
45
Fidget Spinner Bath Bombs
Fidget Spinner Bath Bombs
The Lush Bubble Spinner is Meant to be the Ultimate Relaxation Device
<
44
Bejeweled Fidget Spinners
Bejeweled Fidget Spinners
This Takashi Murakami-Inspired Fidget Spinner Was Made for J Balvin
<
43
South Asian Pop Art Apparel
South Asian Pop Art Apparel
The Hatecopy Get Me Out Print is Available on Apparel & Accessories
<
42
Energy Drink-Infused Sausages
Energy Drink-Infused Sausages
Maguire Meats Now Sells Vodka and Red Bull-Flavored Sausages
<
41
Incognito Normcore Apparel
Incognito Normcore Apparel
The Heron Preston Spring/Summer 2018 Lookbook is Heavily Layered
<
40
Auditory Feedback Fidget Toys
Auditory Feedback Fidget Toys
The 'Fidget Shuffler' Fidget Device Satisfies Needs to Play
<
39
Customizable Premium Fidget Spinners
Customizable Premium Fidget Spinners
The 'Italian Spinner' is Plated with Real Gold
<
38
Champagne Six-Packs
Champagne Six-Packs
Moet & Chandon Released Mini-Bottles of Champagne in Multi-Packs
<
37
Meme Adoption Campaigns
Meme Adoption Campaigns
Singapore's 'Adopt a Meme' Turns Adoptable Animals into Memes
<
36
Fidget Spinner Cellphones
Fidget Spinner Cellphones
The Chilli K188 Works via Bluetooth with Your Existing Phone
<
35
Sculptural Hair Designs
Sculptural Hair Designs
Laetitia Ky's Clever Hair Sculptures Depict Various Scenes Atop Her Head
<
34
Meme-Tracking Websites
Meme-Tracking Websites
Me.me Trends is a Search Engine for Popular Internet Memes
<
33
Fidget Spinner Opener Tools
Fidget Spinner Opener Tools
The T-PERFECT LIFE Fidget Toys Reduce Stress, Pop Bottles and More
<
32
Suggestive Toy-Themed Costumes
Suggestive Toy-Themed Costumes
This Sensual Fidget Spinner Costume for Halloween is Peak 2017
<
31
Haunting Scavenger Hunts
Haunting Scavenger Hunts
Annabelle Teamed Up with Mezco to Take Over Ripley's Believe It Or Not!
<
30
Connected Speaker Fidget Spinners
Connected Speaker Fidget Spinners
The 'Spinneroo' Fidget Toy Spinner Plays Music and Displays Text
<
29
Social Media Influencer Schools
Social Media Influencer Schools
Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College Helps Students Become Stars
<
28
Fidget-Friendly Office Furniture
Fidget-Friendly Office Furniture
The Muista Seating Chairs Let You Rock, Balance and Shift
<
27
Rainbow Hair Carvings
Rainbow Hair Carvings
Janine Ker's Colorful Hair Creations are Spotlighted Atop Short Cuts
<
26
Internet Culture Coloring Books
Internet Culture Coloring Books
The 'Holy Meme Bible' is a Web-Inspired Illustrated Coloring Book
<
25
Soothing Edamame Bean Keychains
Soothing Edamame Bean Keychains
The 'Squeeze-a-Bean' Edamame Fidget Keychain Keeps Hands Busy
<
24
Modern Oversized Stress Balls
Modern Oversized Stress Balls
The Giant Stress Ball Requires Two Hands to be Used
<
23
Luxury Yoyo Toys
Luxury Yoyo Toys
Louis Vuitton is Now Selling a $270 'YOYO ROY' Designer Toy
<
22
Feminine Ring Fidget Spinners
Feminine Ring Fidget Spinners
The Vinci Ring is an Elegant Spinner with a Discreet Aesthetic
<
21
Brushstroke-Themed Cake Designs
Brushstroke-Themed Cake Designs
Kalabasa Bakery is Going Viral for Its Unique Cake Designs
<
20
Failed Festival Tees
Failed Festival Tees
These Fyre Festival Shirts Were Created by @Freeky.p of #N8NE
<
19
Smartphone-Inspired Fidget Toys
Smartphone-Inspired Fidget Toys
The 'Substitute Phones' Mimic the Look and Feel of a Smartphone
<
18
Multi-Sided Focus Toys
Multi-Sided Focus Toys
The 'Tetrafidget' Enables Endless Fidgeting for Kids and Adults
<
17
Luxurious Crystal Bodysuits
Luxurious Crystal Bodysuits
Rihanna Sported Gucci's Unique Runway Ensemble During Coachella
<
16
Professional Centrifugal Fidget Spinners
Professional Centrifugal Fidget Spinners
The 'Momentum 360' Hand Spinner Occupies Idle Hands
<
15
Professional Rolling Fidget Toys
Professional Rolling Fidget Toys
The 'ONO Roller' Helps You to Relax and Focus
<
14
Luxe Anti-Distraction Toys
Luxe Anti-Distraction Toys
Caviar Fidget Spinners are Made Out of 18-karat Gold and Diamonds
<
13
Fidget-Friendly Phone Cases
Fidget-Friendly Phone Cases
The 'Pidget Case' Lets You Fiddle without the Need for Separate Toys
<
12
Viral Adulthood Memes
Viral Adulthood Memes
'100daysofadulting' Makes Funny Memes on Navigating Adulthood
<
11
Levitating Desk Toys
Levitating Desk Toys
'Eggy' is an Adorable Desk-Friendly Fidget Toy
<
10
Programmable Fidget Spinners
Programmable Fidget Spinners
The 'Air-Scribe' Fidget Spinner Toys Feature a Built-in Display
<
9
Mind-Stimulating Puzzle Boxes
Mind-Stimulating Puzzle Boxes
The 'CRYPTED' Puzzle Box Combines Nine Different Puzzles
<
8
Fidget Spinner Lip Balms
Fidget Spinner Lip Balms
The Glampsin Takes Advantage of the Current Popularity of Fidget Spinners
<
7
Designer Adult Puzzle Toys
Designer Adult Puzzle Toys
The Craighill Solid Brass Jack Puzzle is Both Artistic and Useful
<
6
Arty Abstract Desk Toys
Arty Abstract Desk Toys
'Endless Puzzle' is a Combination Stress-Relief Toy and Art Piece
<
5
Fidgeting Desk Toys
Fidgeting Desk Toys
The 'Moon Drop' is a Space-Inspired Desk Toy
<
4
Meme-Inspired Fashion Ads
Meme-Inspired Fashion Ads
Gucci Partners with Viral Meme-Makers for a New Set of Creative Ads
<
3
Wooden Fidget Toys
Wooden Fidget Toys
MOKURU is a Desktop Toy That Flips, Rolls and Does Tricks
<
2
Interplanetary Desktop Toys
Interplanetary Desktop Toys
The 'Gravity Museum' Toys Let You Compare Planet Size and Weight
<
1
Multipurpose One-Handed Fidget Toys
Multipurpose One-Handed Fidget Toys
The 'Fiddle Stick' Toy Has Nine Tactile Features
<