As part of the Scooter Media digital team’s hard work for our clients, we see a lot of social media content, from posts that are funny or outrageous to insightful and educational (and everything in between). As we’re wrapping up another year of driving great results on social media, some of the “viral” moments we observed have stuck with us.
Take a trip back through 2024 with us as we highlight some of our favorite viral moments on social this year:
Moo Deng
We would be remiss to not mention Moo Deng, the pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand who went viral for being adorable and wreaking havoc. Much like Cincinnati’s own Fiona the Hippo, Moo Deng is THAT girl (or hippo), and our team simply couldn’t get enough.
@dailymail Moo Deng getting everyone in the mood for the weekend. Is there anything she can’t do? 🥰🕺 🎥ViralPress #moodeng #hippo #baby #cute #dancing #weekend
Wicked
We had a feeling that the movie version of the hit-musical Wicked was going to be “Pop-u-LAR” … and we were “RIGHT!” (as Glinda would say).
Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo did not leave our feeds all year, from “holding space” for moments on the press tour to the musical numbers popping up across TikTok. The hype was nothing short of magical — and you can learn how to harness that hype in your own campaigns by checking out our blog “3 Marketing Lessons from the ‘Wicked’ Movie”.
@scootermediaco We know all about the “popular” TikTok trends! #ScooterMedia #PRAgency #SocialMediaAgency #PublicRelations #OfficeLife #TikTokTrends #CapCut #Meme #MemeCut #WickedMovie
Dancing with the Stars
Competition and reality TV shows are a hot topic at Scooter Media, and this season of Dancing with the Stars had our entire digital team talking. It wasn’t just us, either — according to US Weekly, 7.95 million people tuned in to the season 33 finale compared to 5.5 million who watched the season 32 conclusion in 2023.
@ilonamaher Never be afraid to be as strong as you can @Dancing with the Stars DWTS
The Willy Wonka Immersive Experience
“Willy’s Chocolate Experience” — held in Glasgow in February — gave us an iconic fail at the beginning of the year. The AI-generated imagery promoting the event sold tickets, but when people arrived, the experience left a lot to the imagination.
The event tried to ride the coattails of Wonka, the 2023 movie musical starring Timothée Chalamet, but instead gave us all kinds of viral content — most notably the depressed Oompa Loompa meme. Speaking of Timothée Chalamet …
Lookalike Contests
We couldn’t look away from this year’s Celebrity Lookalike contests! Celebrity doppelgangers gathered at events across the country to show off their copycat looks. Timothée Chalamet even got in on the action by visiting his own look-alike contest in New York City, leading to some Oscar-worthy drama when police shut down the crowded event.
@newyorknico There was a Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest in NYC today. #timotheechalamet #nyc
2024 saw the likes of lookalike contests for Harry Styles, Zendaya, Jeremy Allen White and Glen Powell — Cincinnati even hosted a Joe Burrow lookalike contest.
What were your favorite viral social media moments of 2024? Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, or TikTok and tell us!
For more tips on utilizing trending content in your social media campaigns, check out these other Scooter Media blogs: