---
title: What Went Viral? The Content and Trends Everyone is Jumping On - TRIBE
description: Explore the latest social media trends taking over TikTok and Instagram feeds last month, and what brands and creators can learn from them.
image: https://www.tribegroup.co/hubfs/Blog%20Assets/00%20-%202025/Monthly%20Trends/0625-MonthlyTrends-Header-June.jpg
---
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# What Went Viral? The Content and Trends Everyone is Jumping On
[
@milagracefox
for Steve Madden
](https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/what-went-viral-may-2026)
Published: June 2026
Another month, another scroll-hole we’re more than happy to fall into. Somehow, we're halfway through the year and the calendar is showing no signs of slowing down.
The trends that dominated the feed in May were quick to recreate, easy to remix and packed with clever little hooks that brands and creators can actually run with. Let’s dive in.
## #1 "Punk Rock Made Me Do It"
What is it?
Your unread messages are entering their emo era.
Think: a missing phone charger, someone being “five minutes away” for twenty minutes, or dinner plans falling apart in real time, all performed like someone just got dumped outside the skate park.
Why did it go viral?
Because the contrast does all the work.
The original message is usually mundane, stressful or weirdly specific. The delivery is massive. A tiny domestic panic becomes a chorus. A boring workplace request becomes a breakdown. A throwaway line suddenly has drums, distortion and emotional damage.
It also lands because punk and pop-punk are having a proper nostalgia loop in 2026. The sound already carries angst, melodrama and "everything is urgent" energy, which makes it perfect for turning everyday stress into something ridiculous and instantly shareable.
How can brands and creators leverage this trend?
Creators:
Use the format for any message or situation that feels too normal to be content, but too emotionally loaded to ignore. The more specific the conversation, the better it lands.
Brands:
Use it to dramatise the tiny frictions your audience already understands. Customer questions, staff messages, product reviews, onboarding admin, app notifications, delivery updates, awkward briefs, forgotten passwords. Basically, anything boring that would hit harder with drums.
Who participated?
**[@homeandkind](https://www.instagram.com/homeandkind/) **turned messages from her teenage daughter into a punk anthem. Nausea, crush updates, food cravings, and the absolutely unhinged "I'm beautiful, if I was a car I'd definitely hit me."
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> ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXXOsVqkcwA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
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> [A post shared by Brittney Hanks | Home & Kind (@homeandkind)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXXOsVqkcwA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
[@winthethanlap](https://www.instagram.com/withethanlap/reels/) pushed the format into relationship chaos: messages from his pregnant wife about hunger, back pain, not knowing what she wants, and the emotional devastation of being cheated on in a dream.
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> ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXcjbQ1j9mO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
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> [A post shared by Ethan Lapierre (@withethanlap)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXcjbQ1j9mO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
[Scribe ](https://www.instagram.com/scribe_hq/reels/?hl=en)showed us how easily brands can use this format. Here, the product becomes the punchline and the solution: record the process once, turn it into a step-by-step guide, and stop the same questions from being asked again.
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> ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWT5JFLiDVC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
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> [A post shared by @scribe_hq](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWT5JFLiDVC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
## #2 "And Emily… That’s all."
What is it?
After nearly 20 years, The Devil Wears Prada returned to screens, bringing its iconic fashion-office chaos with it. When the sequel landed on 1 May, creators had a fresh excuse to bring a little more Runway and a lot more “that’s all” to the feed.
Why did it go viral?
*The Devil Wears Prada* already speaks fluent social media.
You don’t need to explain Miranda, Emily or Runway. You just need the stare, the pause, the sunglasses, the soundtrack or the idea that something either makes the cut or absolutely does not. It is nostalgic, quotable and easy to remix into outfit reveals, judgement clips, office POVs and high-fashion-at-home edits.
The film also naturally sits across fashion, work, beauty and status. Basically, four things social already loves to obsess over.
How can brands and creators leverage this trend?
Creators:
Use the film’s codes as a format: “Miranda would approve,” “things that make the cut,” office POVs, outfit rankings, product edits, “what I’d wear to Runway,” or brutally specific taste calls.
Brands:
Borrow the behaviour, not just the quote. Turn products into props, menus into personality tests, edits into approval lists, and product demos into something that feels like it belongs inside the cultural world people are already talking about.
Who participated?
[**@sanaballag **](http://www.tiktok.com/@sanaballag)nailed the Miranda stare: an immaculately dressed girlfriend judging her underdressed boyfriend with "Emily?" a blank stare, a pause, "that's all," sunglasses up, next.
> [@sanaballag](https://www.tiktok.com/@sanaballag?refer=embed) he's my emily [#thedevilwearsprada2](https://www.tiktok.com/tag/thedevilwearsprada2?refer=embed) [♬ original sound - girl_of_dreams](https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7607847561285602078?refer=embed)
[@laetitiagreco_](https://www.instagram.com/laetitiagreco_/reels/) turned her hallway into a Runway show, with high-fashion outfit inspo set to Madonna’s “Vogue.”
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> ](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXY8ZShjvPS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
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> [A post shared by Laetitia Greco (@laetitiagreco_)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXY8ZShjvPS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
[Google Shopping](https://www.instagram.com/shopwithgoogle/reels/) gave the trend a polished brand spin, using Stanley Tucci, Simone Ashley and Runway’s fashion closet to make its Try On/Search feature feel part of the film world.
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> [A post shared by Shop with Google (@shopwithgoogle)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXZJSDWj8Fl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)
## #3 "A Little Birdie Told Me"
What is it?
One of May’s strangest scroll-stoppers started with a hoodie, a friend and the phrase “a little birdie told me.”
The setup is simple: one person crouches behind the other with their hood up and hands poking out, creating the illusion of a tiny human-bird hybrid perched nearby for absolutely no reason.
Why did it go viral?
It takes a throwaway phrase everyone knows and makes it completely literal.
“A little birdie told me” is usually just a cute way to deliver gossip, news or a recommendation. This trend takes that line at face value, throws someone in a hoodie, and turns them into the birdie.
Sometimes the best social strategy is just committing really hard to a very stupid visual gag.
It’s low-effort, visually weird and instantly clear once you see it. Which is basically perfect trend maths: familiar phrase, ridiculous execution, easy setup and enough nonsense to make people stop scrolling.
How can brands and creators leverage this trend?
At its core, it's a silly visual format that makes any message feel more watchable. But it also works as a low-lift announcement mechanic when you need one.
Anything that starts with “a little birdie told me” can carry a reveal, recommendation, tip or soft tease. A new drop, a restock, a menu item, an office update, a hot take, a product favourite, a “you didn’t hear it from us” moment. The format gives simple information a visual hook without making it feel like a proper announcement.
The trick is to keep the message quick and let the birdie do the heavy lifting. A basic update becomes a visual gag, and suddenly the news is more watchable because it's being delivered by a tiny hoodie bird.
**Who participated?**
[**@knabweeive**](https://www.tiktok.com/@knabweeive) nailed the deadpan delivery, staring coldly into the camera while barely holding back a laugh.
> [@knabweeive](https://www.tiktok.com/@knabweeive?refer=embed)
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> [♬ Non, je ne regrette rien - Edith Piaf](https://www.tiktok.com/music/Non-je-ne-regrette-rien-223528131368980480?refer=embed)
[**@alyciamay**](https://www.tiktok.com/@alyciamay) added a bit of movement to make it look like she was actually landing. The commitment sells it.
> [@alyciamay](https://www.tiktok.com/@alyciamay?refer=embed)
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> 🦅😃
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> [♬ Non, je ne regrette rien - Edith Piaf](https://www.tiktok.com/music/Non-je-ne-regrette-rien-223528131368980480?refer=embed)
[**@drinknixie**](https://www.tiktok.com/@drinknixie) showed how brands can easily use the trend, turning “a little birdie told me…” into a playful way to deliver product messaging: “we heard you were looking for a delicious zero sugar soda.”
> [@drinknixie](https://www.tiktok.com/@drinknixie?refer=embed)
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> look no further 👀
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> [♬ som original - Scoob Doo](https://www.tiktok.com/music/som-original-7225008905917680410?refer=embed)
## Looking ahead to June
2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on 11 June. For brands and creators, the opportunity is about more than just the matches: watch parties, food orders, picking sides and any excuse to get together around the game.
Pride Month
June brings Pride, but this year the bar is much higher than a rainbow logo. The strongest brand work will come from creator-led stories, visible partnerships and commitment that doesn’t disappear when the calendar turns to July.
## TRIBE takeaway:
This month's strongest trends worked because they were simple, familiar and easy to remix. They took a sound, film or phrase that was already well known and gave it a twist. And that accessibility is what's been driving engagement.
Cya next time!
For all the creators out there - [jump in the app](https://dft82.app.goo.gl/8XTE) for the latest campaigns looking for your content.
Or, if you're a marketer wanting to chat trends and your creator strategy... [get in touch!](https://www.tribegroup.co/book-a-demo)
### Related posts
[ Influencer Resources , Brand Resources ](https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/topic/influencer-resources) [YouTube SEO: How to Get Your Videos in Front of the Right Audience](https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/youtube-seo-for-creators)
YouTube is home to over 30 billion videos. To get your content in front of the...
[ Influencer Resources , Brand Resources ](https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/topic/influencer-resources) [Why Creators Are Going All-In on YouTube Shorts](https://www.tribegroup.co/blog/why-creators-youtube-shorts)
Here’s the reality with YouTube. While other platforms are the home of trends,...
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