Since October 2016, the Mannequin Challenge has taken the internet by storm. Spredfast, a social media software company, has closely watched the reactions on Twitter globally and has found some compelling key findings.
If you haven’t yet heard of the Mannequin Challenge, it is defined as a viral Internet video trend where people remain frozen in action like mannequins while a video is recorded, usually with the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background.
Since the beginning of October, there have been 9.8 million mentions on Twitter for the Mannequin Challenge around the world while the 2014 Ice Bucket Challenge received 4.4 million.
“Looking at the data, it is evident that the Mannequin Challenge is a trending social media topic that has become popular around the globe.
“Comparing to the phenomenon that was the Ice Bucket Challenge two years ago, we are seeing that when it comes to the Mannequin Challenge, the Twitter numbers have doubled with millennials, celebrities and countless global brands joining the social media conversation,” said Adrian Mottershead, Head of ANZ at Spredfast.
The sentiment regarding the challenge has also been pretty positive with 26 per cent of twitter users happy about the Mannequin Challenge and only four per cent negative.
For the global audience demographics, we can see mostly millennials and generation Z are taking the Mannequin Challenge with an even split in genders.
As the Mannequin Challenge is in a video form, it has also been spreading through twitter very easily with many retweets and shares. The top videos are:
- @whereesKB – “This is so powerful. The best mannequin challenge I saw.”
145,013 retweets and 164,209 likes. - @Kingkeraun “#MannequinChallenge”
144,058 retweers and 174,279 likes. - @okayalyssa “BRO LOOK AT THE F***ING CAT ?? #mannequinchallenge”
27,253 retweets and 28,923 likes
This is so powerful. The best mannequin challenge I saw. pic.twitter.com/ToSsR2Wxth
— KB. (@whereesKB) November 10, 2016
Like all social media phenomenon’s, the Mannequin Challenge has caught the attention of celebrities and brands who have jumped on board with great enthusiasm. Some of the notable videos on Twitter are:
- @PaulMcCartney – “Love those Black Beatles #MannequinChallenge”
- @HillaryClinton – “Don’t stand still. Vote today: http://hillaryclinton.com/locate #ElectionDay #MannequinChallenge”
- @dallascowboys – “That 7-1 feeling #mannequinchallenge”
- @cavs – “Freezing our @WhiteHouse visit in time forever with @FLOTUS #MannequinChallenge”
- @TheEllenShow – “MannequinChallenge”
- @BritneySpears – “We use our bodies to make our own #MannequinChallenge ? THANK YOU for voting #PieceOfMe for @TheBestOfLV!!!”
#MannequinChallenge pic.twitter.com/ZUrkS0riSW
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) November 7, 2016
Top hashtags/topics associated with the Mannequin Challenge included:
- Blac Chyna – because she did the Mannequin Challenge while she was in labour
- #electionday – because Hillary Clinton did the Mannequin Challenge on Election Day
- Student Section – because of this big and difficult Mannequin Challenge at a football game
Blac Chyna did the mannequin challenge while giving birth ?? #MannequinChallenge pic.twitter.com/y4pDCV0iQf
— I Luh God ✨ (@aVeryRichBitch_) November 10, 2016
To coincide with the Rogue One film screening in Australia, Star Wars AUNZ also took on the challenge: “We gave fans one mission: Celebrate #RogueOne tickets on sale by creating The Ultimate Star Wars #MannequinChallenge. Mission complete.”
We gave fans one mission: Celebrate #RogueOne tickets on sale by creating The Ultimate Star Wars #MannequinChallenge. Mission complete. pic.twitter.com/86RIVIL9Fy
— Star Wars AUNZ (@StarWarsAUNZ) November 28, 2016
Will the popularity of the Mannequin Challenge continue into 2017? Only time will tell, unless a new challenge comes again to shake the social media world.
