658 posts and 13.2k followers later,The Feedis five! Powered by our cultural insights teams, The Feed tracks artefacts of digital culture from across the world. Packed full of memes, brand campaigns, creator trends, and more, we’re taking a trip down memory lane, taking a look at the top posts from the past five years.
#1 – Eterobasiche are calling out Italian gender stereotypes
The top post from the first year of The Feed was about two Italian women taking on gender stereotypes. 💪👀
@eterobasiche – which translates as ‘heterobasics’ – created comedic content that parodied typical Italian masculinity, often using typical one-liners or using conversational idioms to make fun of male-oriented thinking.
Why was it trending?
Conversations around gender on the global stage are often so broad that they don’t always land in people’s real lives. But, Eterobasiche harnesses local tropes to better educate Italian audiences in a format and tone they can get behind.
#2 – Tube girl is helping the internet embrace its delulu energy
As we headed into year two of The Feed, we were blessed with the icon that is Tube Girl.
Sabrina Bahsoon’s (aka #tubegirl) viral videos saw her on the London Underground (aka tube) executing perfect lip syncing, effortless dancing and wind-swept hair. Most notably though, she was completely unphased by the other tube goers watching her and inspired a trend where other internet users worldwide began creating their own carefree tube-girlesque dances in public places.
Why was it trending?
Audiences were seeking authentic figures of confidence that they can learn from and aspire to, and creators like Tube Girl were delivering on that by taking a traditionally awkward situation and unashamedly defying social expectations. This level of confidence was part of the wider online wave of #delulu and represent a new wave of TikTok girlies who were not letting a little bit of judgment stop them from achieving their potential.
#3 – Underconsumption-core encourages treasuring items over collecting them
Using makeup products until you hit the pan, drinking from a well-worn water bottle, donning a worn, old t-shirt as pyjamas – for many, these are unremarkable everyday habits. Yet on TikTok, where users felt under pressure to flaunt their shopping and consumption, actually *using what you have* was a rare sighting. Enter, underconsumption-core, a content genre where users celebrated really using their favourite products until they’ve worn them out.
Why was it trending?
TikTok was rife with overconsumption, from Shein clothing hauls to Stanley cup collections. For many users, its platform culture, including the identity and community that come with TikTok-native aesthetics, are bound up with products. In response, those who resisted these trends (or simply can’t afford to follow them), were looking for new ways to afford entrance into these online communities.
#4 – TikTok is turning gardening into a quiet act of resistance
The Feed turned four and social turned to gardening. Once a wartime necessity, victory gardens – small home or community plots for growing your own fruit and veg – made a comeback.
Why was it trending?
From the 17th century Diggers movement to WWII’s Dig for Victory campaign and the enduring tradition of British allotments, people have long turned to the soil in times of crisis. Now, they’re doing it again. Faced with rising food prices, import delays, and a shaky global market, growing your own has become a modern act of resistance.
#5 – Chinese Gen Z are bringing whimsy to a burnt out society through fast food sculptures
Dinosaurs, crabs, and an open pair of airpods– these are some of the things Chinese users have been assembling out of their fast food orders. Across Douyin and Xiahongshu users have been sharing and finding joy in creating their own chip and nugget creations, from staging scenes of dinosaur migration, to sharing detailed tutorials on how to create your own hamburger crabs.
Why was it trending?
Chinese Gen Z are looking for emotional outlets which remind them of both the care-free times in their childhood, but also provide opportunities for their unique self-expression and creativity amidst a high-pressure climate. The cute handcrafted creatures resonate because they offer an unexpected opportunity to bring whimsy to a climate of stress, and their funny imperfections lean into ‘chou-meng’ (or ‘ugly-cute’ aesthetic), which reminds users of the joy and inclusive community which comes from embracing imperfection.
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