These 2016 viral trends show just how powerful online interaction can be when it comes to getting a message out. If you're interested in looking into other successful campaigns, go to our 2017 Trend Report.
As always, pets are popular throughout these 2016 viral trends, with familiar furry faces like Marnie The Dog being implemented into advertising efforts. Airbnb's commercial proved successful largely because of this, as it enticed its audience to keep watching while it showed them how accommodating its service can be for pets.
During 2016's controversial election, many women donned OPI's 'Madam President' color, sharing images of their nails online and showing up to the polls with it on in an effort to show solidarity with Hillary Clinton.
Also featured is a father who wanted to find a wife for his son and thought that posting an full-page ad on the front of the newspaper would be the best method. He included a list of strange requirements and even propositioned to interview interested women before they would be able to meet his son, a 48-year-old man.
Top 40 Viral Trends in 2016
From Travelling Canine Food Bloggers to Politically Aimed Fight Songs:
Riley von Niessen — Jan 28, 2017 — Pop Culture
40
Meme-Inspired Clothing
This Clothing Collection Was Inspired by the 'Arthur Fist' Meme
39
Colorful Rainbow Coffees
This Barista Uses Food Coloring to Make Rainbow-Colored Coffee
38
Social Media-Requested Photos
James Fridman Takes Social Media Photo Editing Requests Literally
37
Anti-Bullying LGBTQ Campaigns
Connor Franta, Urban Outfitters and GLSEN Joined to Help Students
36
Anime Gaming Taxis
Pokemon GO Players Can Hitch a Ride to Catch Pokemon
35
Body Positive Movement Hashtags
A Plus-Size Blogger Got Women to Embrace their Shape on Twitter
34
Canine Food Bloggers
Popeye is the Foodie Dog Starring in This Popular Instagram Account
33
Charitable Children's Tattoos
This Artist is Inking Sick Children with Temporary Airbrush Tattoos
32
Meme-Inspired Horror Films
Sony is Giving 'Slender Man' his Big Screen Debut
31
Parody Campaign Ads
The 'Hillary Clinton: Meme Queen 2016' Ad Has a Fake Hillary Acting Out Memes
30
Wife-Seeking Newspaper Ads
This Full-Page Ad Was Made by a Dad Trying to Find a Wife for His Son
29
Snapchat Television Revivals
The Cribs Snapchat Series Will See the Relaunch of the MTV Hit
28
Gorilla Meme Video Games
'Harambe vs. Capcom' is a Fighter Game Featuring the Late Primate
27
Gamified Anime Marathons
Runners Can Play 'Pokémon Go' at Virgin Active's 'Pokérun'
26
Cartoon Choreography Software
MMD Satoshi Uses Open Freeware to Create Pokemon Dance Videos
25
First Lady Karaoke Videos
Michelle Obama Belted it Out with James Corden on 'Carpool Karaoke'
24
Anime-Eliminating Browser Extensions
The 'PokeGone' Browser Extension Wipes Pokemon from the Web
23
Political Solidarity Nail Polish
Many Americans Showed Up to the Polls Wearing OPI Madam President
22
Satirical Presidential Transports
Neill Blomkamp's YouTube Videos Show Opulent Political Vehicles
21
Comedic Yoga Webseries
'Namaste, Bitches' Pokes Fun at LA's "Spiritually Unpure" Yoga Culture
20
Viral Fashion-Savvy Dogs
Tinkerbelle the Dog is an Internet-Famous Model, Actor and Travel Blogger
19
Viral Cat Commercials
This German Commercial Follows Grocery Shopping Cats with a Meowing Song
18
Jelly Bath Water Experiments
Guava Juice's JELLO Bath Challenge Video Offers Gooey Fun
17
Canine-Centered Kid's Books
Mitch Boyer Made a Photo-Edited Book of His Dog to Help Kids Adjust
16
Anime Hunting Game Features
The New 'Nearby Pokémon' Feature of Pokémon Go Makes FindingAnime Easy
15
LGBT Superhero Campaigns
Mike Buonaiuto's Trailer Shows What Films Would Be Like with LGBT Leads
14
Activist Music Videos
Project Everyone Remade a Spice Girls Music Video for Women's Rights
13
Viral Hunger PSAs
Feeding America's 'Empty Plates' Ad Copies the Format of Viral Recipe Videos
12
Anime Gaming Chat Apps
The 'RazerGo' App Hosts 'Pokémon GO' Chats
11
Viral Sugary Baths
Tanner Braungardt Combined Coca-Cola and Mentos in His Bathtub
10
Crowdsourced Lawyer Hashtags
#TransLawHelp Connects Lawyers with U.S. Transgender People in Need
9
Inclusive Pride Campaigns
The You Can Sit with Us Campaign Celebrates the Diversity of Pride Month
8
Viral Lip Sync Videos
This Video Features Husband and Wife Duo Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan
7
Frenzied Comedic Channels
'Hola Soy German' Puts a Frenetic Twist On Spoken Comedy
6
Pet-Friendly Rental Home Ads
Marnie the Dog Was Featured in This Luxurious Airbnb Commercial
5
Retiree Music Videos
Senior Citizens Make a Hilarious Taylor Swift Parody
4
Hometown-Celebrating Rap Videos
This Kendrick Lamar Short Film Features Compton Residents Rapping
3
Satirical Movie Sequels
This Parody of the Drive Movie Reimagines Ryan Gosling as an Uber Driver
2
All-Acoustic Faucet Music
Si Bennett's Song and Video Only Use the Sounds from a Leaky Faucet
1
Politically Charged Fight Songs
The DNC Featured a Star-Studded Music Video for Hilary Clinton
Related Ideas
Holographic Pet Accessories
The Wild One Introduces Its First-Ever Holographic Print
AI-Created Luggage Campaigns
LANCEL's New Voyage Ai Campaign Launched on June 7th
AI-Powered Pet Collars
Personifi AI’s Shazam Band Turns Moods and Movements into Words
Human-Quality Dog Beds
Hooman Debuted a First-of-Its-Kind Collection of Pet Beds
Makeup-Themed Dog Toys
Rare Beauty Introduces Playful Dog Toys Inspired by Its Makeup
Aggressive Athlete Ads
Nike Launches the Winning Isn’t for Everyone Campaign
Anti-Consumption Natural Ads
The 'Girls Just Wanna Grow Plants' Ad Aims to Reducing Consumption
Ingenious De-Influencing Ads
Cuyana's De-Influencing April Fool's Campaign Highlights Greenwashing
Spring-Inspired Pet Collections
Diggs Launches a Series of Spring-Inspired Pet Items
Hug-Inspired Olympics Campaigns
Coca-Cola's Summer Olympics Campaign was Inspired by True Events
Uplifting Social Media Campaigns
Optimism Your Feed Helps Social Media Users Retrain the Algorithm
80s-Inspired Pet-Friendly Cereals
BARK Presents the Snack Pack of Colorful Cereal Boxes
Athlete-Backed Shoe Campaigns
Nike Released Awaken Your Madness with International Soccer Players
Illustrative 420 Campaigns
Vizie Unveils His Latest Work for Grassroots' 420 Campaign
Sporty Fashion Spring Campaigns
adidas Originals Introduces the 1000 Back Campaign
Icon-Led Travel Experiences
Airbnb Icons Offers Experiences Hosted by Icons in Music, Film, & More
AI-Generated Soup Can Art
The Campbell’s 'pAIntings' Initiative is Inspired by Artistic Greats
Humorous Payment Campaigns
Paypal's Latest Campaign Features Actor Will Ferrell
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Vintage-Inspired Pet Cereals
BARK Launches a Collection of Dog Treats Inspired By Vintage Cereals
Gen Z-Centric Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' Shift Happens Campaign Has Three Phases
Multichannel Retail Campaigns
Urban Outfitters' 'Happy Lolidays' Campaign is Engaging
Convention-Challenging AC Campaigns
Samsung's WindFree Ad Stars a Savvy Grandma-Fluencer
Provocative AR Campaigns
NotCo's 'Not So Happy Animals' Presents Food Logos in a New Light
Gen Alpha Marketing Campaigns
Claire's is Targeting TikTok Growth for its Latest Ads Spending
Influencer-Inspired Ads
Tomcat's Ad Shows an Influencer Mouse with a Fatal Unboxing Twist
Romantic Dating App Experiences
The Bumble 'Success Stories' Campaign Includes a Las Vegas Contest
Colorful Dog Bed Collections
HAY Dogs and Holly Golightly Join Forces on New Designs
Young Travellers-Targeting Campaigns
Progressive Insurance Has Introduced a New Campaign
Offbeat Fashion Campaigns
ASOS 'Inspired By' Delivers Non-Traditional Inspiration to Style-Seekers
Film-Inspired Whimsical Rental Homes
Airbnb Adds the Latest Addition to its Icons Program
Expansive Seasonal Pet Products
The Petco Merry Makings Holiday Collection is Packed with Options
Pet Shopping Networks
IKEA is Launching an Interactive Pet Shopping Network on TikTok Live
Empowered Dating Nail Bars
Tinder's Nailing Dating Pop-Up Shares Tips to Support Singles
Iconic Character-Inspired Campaigns
Etsy's Christmas Ad Celebrates Personalized Gifting
Puppy Dating App Giveaways
Rover Rewards Dating App Users Who Replace Fish Pics with Pups
Personalized Pet Amenities
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will Offer 'Pawsome Pampering Packages'
AI-Powered Pet Diets
Side by Side Pet Presents Innovative and Health-Conscious Choices
Rom-Com Dating App Campaigns
Tinder's It Starts With a Swipe Reimagines Meet Cutes
Hispanic Hair Care Campaigns
Acast and Henkel Fostered Positive Conversations in a New Campaign
Pet Brand Influencer Campaigns
Cult Food Science & Further Foods Boost Visibility of Noochies!
Humorous Pet Furniture Campaigns
IKEA Playfully Presents its UTSÅDD Collection in a Campaign
Inclusive Hair-Styling Campaigns
Dove's #MyHairAMiModo Campaign Supports Cultural Latina Hair
Hands-Free Driving Campaigns
Ford UK's Social Campaign Shares Merch for the "Passenger Princess"
Exclusive Social Shopping Snacks
Like Air is Launching Limited-Time Flavors on TikTok Shop
Neighborhood-Inspired Campaigns
Kotn's F/W 2024 Collection is Released with a Witty Short-Film
Gen Z-Focused Coachella Campaigns
Pinterest Partners With Coachella to Connect With Gen Z
Empowering Self-Care Pizza Ads
Domino's New Ad Encourages Women to Give into Their Cravings
Dog-Focused QSR Campaigns
The Hot Dog on a Stick Dog Days of Summer Campaign Treats Pooches
Togetherness Seltzer Campaigns
White Claw's Grab Life By The Claw Targets the Loneliest Generation
Pet Nail Trimming Platforms
Dremel Debuts an Innovative Online Platform for At-Home Nail Trimming
Anthropomorphic Store Campaigns
IKEA's Short Social Films Promote Its Click-and-Collect Service
Branded Dating Experiments
Whirlpool's Care Profiles Had Daters Share Photos of Doing Chores
Stylish Pet Pads
PUPIBOO's Pee Pads are Style-Conscious and Washable
70s-Style Cat Snack Ads
Temptations' Creamy Purrrr-ée Treats Star in a Nostalgic Holiday Ad
Shoppable Travel Storefronts
Expedia Travel Shops Make It Easy to Book Recommended Getaways
Virtual Pet Races
Purina Arena Pet Racing Reaches a New Generation of Pet Lovers on Roblox
Viral Video Databases
Viral Ideas Offers Inspiration for a Content Creator's Next Big Video
Traveler-Focused Pet Hubs
Mars Unveils a New Pet-Focused Hub in Collaboration with TripAdvisor
Color Infusion Paint Campaigns
vitaminwater's Paint Your Rent Brightens Lives & Living Spaces
Pet-Inspired Hotel Services
Hotel X Has Expanded Its VIP (Very Important Pet) Program
Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns
Jewelry Brand MWCurated Uses Fake Infidelity Flyers for Marketing
Gen Z-Influenced Marketing Campaigns
Kraft Heinz is Studying Gen Z's Preferences with New Launches
Extraterrestrial Influencer Campaigns
MoonPie's Alien Acquisition Shares Ads for Extraterrestrials
Stylish Soda Pop-Ups
Poppi World Enticed Health-Conscious, Fashionable Visitors During NYFW
Adorable Holiday Campaigns
Burberry's Holiday Campaign Spotlights Dogs and Ducklings
Forward-Thinking Wedding Pop-Ups
Anthropologie Weddings x Pinterest Shares Emerging Styles
Pet-Friendly Travel Hubs
Mars and Tripadvisor Launched a Helpful Hub for Pet Parents
Revived Retro Internet Games
Neopets is Celebrating its 25th Anniversary with New Revivals
Nostalgic Fragrance Campaigns
Impulse & Frankie Bridge Faithfully Recreated Iconic 90s Looks
Integrated Influencer Marketing Platforms
SocialTalk Helps Users Discover, Track, and Connect
Pop Culture Bars
Basic is Building a Sports Bar for Pop Culture Fans
Globally Inspired Dog Meals
Restaurant Favorites Inspired Tiki Dog's Taste of the World Recipes
Social Media Fridge-Decorating Trends
Lynzi Judish Released Several Viral 'Fridgescaping' Videos
Collaborative Digital Coffee Campaigns
illy Launches its Digital Content Series 'Coffee Break'
Pop Culture-Inspired Rentals
Airbnb Unveils the New 'Icons' Experiences for Short-Term Guests
Colorful Kitchen Pop-Ups
Primal Kitchen Partners with Pintrest for a Special Initiative
Social Media Political-Content Limitations
Meta is Reducing Political Content Recommendations
Sensitivity-Focused Dog Lines
Cleo&Hooman Crafts Clean and Allergy-Conscious Pet Products
Interactive Influencer Features
YouTube's New 'Hype' Feature Allows Viewers to Share in Success
Dog Cover Star Contests
Dogtopia's In My Dog Era Contest Takes After Taylor Swift's TIME Cover
Travel-inspired Brand Campaigns
Michelin Launches the On the Road and Beyond! Campaign
Social-First Car Campaigns
Škoda's Reddit Car Share Amplified the Voices of Passionate Fans
AI Travel Campaigns
Trivago is Using AI to Replace Spokespeople & Simplify Productions
Cookie-Twisting Commercials
The OREO Super Bowl 2024 Spot Revisits Pivotal Moments in History
Swipable Curated Ad Inspiration
Swipify Lets Users Swipe Through the Latest Ad Campaigns
Sports-Inspired Digital Docuseries
Purina Pro Plan Partners with Michael Phelps & Others
Pet-Calming Channels
Fore Fireworks Season, Sky and NOW Created BonfireNight with Dogs Trust
Influencer Snack Bar Campaigns
Nature Valley Launches a Social-Oriented Digital Marketing Campaign
Athlete Hair Campaigns
Schwarzkopf Professional's Up Your Hair Game Celebrates a Product Relaunch
Anniversary-Celebrating Storytelling Ads
The Walt Disney Company Mark Marvel's 85th Anniversary
Sports-Themed Pet Products
The PetSmart Team USA Products Cheer on Athletes
Influencer-Led Mascara Campaigns
Milani Cosmetics and The Lipstick Lesbians Struck a Partnership
All-in-One Pet Care Apps
Dotsy Offers Tracking and Recording for Pet Owners
AI-Enhanced Pet Adoption Photos
The Personality Pics AI Tool Helps More Pets Find Forever Homes
Recycled Ad Campaigns
Mars is Reusing Fan-Favorite Ads to Bring Attention to Climate Change
Premium Pet-Friendly Getaways
BARK's Ultimutt Giveaway Helps Dogs Have an Unforgettable Summer
Chinese Youth Search Reports
Xiaohongshu Has Released Report on Search Habits Among Youth in China
Connective Pet Communities
Petigo Connects Pet Owners So They Can Share Photos, Engage, and More
Feline Meme Makers
Cat Meme Material Download Caters to Japan's Budding Meme Culture
Esports Pet Treat Partnerships
Temptations Connects with Misfits to Launch a New Pilot Program
Social Media Forecasting Tools
WGSN TikTok Analytics Harness Data, Insights and More
Language App Pop-Ups
Duolingo Hosted an Interactive Street Society Event in Soho
Hyper-Local Gym Ads
GymBox's Made for London Life Ads Juxtapose City Living and Gym-Going
Hockey-Focused Influencer Campaigns
Great Clips Introduces the ‘Show Your Flow’ Campaign
Influencer-Starring Car Commercials
Toyota's New Short Film Seeks to Resonate with Gen Z Customers
Athlete-Centric Bingo Campaigns
The 'Share Your Bingo Moment' Campaign Spotlights Olympic Legends
Bizarre Soda Campaigns
Dr Pepper's Try More Weird Disrupts Life's Boredoms with Weirdness
Animal Welfare-Focused Wines
Top Dogs Wines Has Recently Launched in New York
Global Holiday Campaigns
David Beckham Stars in SharkNinja's 'Ninja the Holidays' Campaign
Drone Marketing Initatives
LEGO Takes to the Sky with Drone Show and Aerial Messages
Elevated Millennial Apparel
Petal & Pup Celebrates Ten-year Milestone with the Muse Collection
Festive Pet Product Collections
The Morrisons Christmas Pet Range Has Nearly 30 Products
Youth Intern Social Stunts
Louis Vuitton Hires a 13 Year Old Intern After Sketches Went Viral
AI Social Media Generators
Snowball FATG Can Help Create Viral Social Moments in Seconds
Passion-Sharing List Platforms
MyLikes Helps Users Share What They Enjoy with Curated Lists
Short Film-Inspired Ads
Apple’s New ‘The Underdogs’ Ad Features Various Apple Products
Pet Travel Concierge Services
GlobalVetLink Simplifies International Travel for Pet Owners
Redirected Movement Campaigns
Asics' 15MinuteWeightLoss Challenges Rapid Weight Loss Content
Disruptive Hairstyling Campaigns
Bed Head's The Lab of Life Breaks the Fourth Wall
Vibrant Runner-Targeted Commercials
PUMA Southeast Asia Debuts a Community-Based Video Campaign
Animal Adoption Platforms
Adopt Me Teaches Users About Animal Adoption and Responsible Pet Care
Viral Political Campaign Accessories
The Viral Harris-Walz Camo Hat Appeals to Gen Z Voters
Bar Cart Mascots
Tito's New Ad Series Features an Anthropomorphic Bar Cart with Mixology Skills
SaaS Influencer Marketing Tools
Beeing Social Launches 'Buzz Bee Buzz' for Influencer Marketing
Big-Screen Cat Ads
INABA is Celebrating National Cat Day with "the Ultimate Cat Video"
Comedic Groundhog Day Campaigns
Lay's Flavor for Days Campaign Taps into Groundhog Day
Uplifting Virtual Influencer Collabs
The Lennnie x Dove Collab Promotes Body Positivity
Pop Culture Presidency Campaigns
Kamala Harris Adopts Charli XCX's 'Brat' Trend for Her Campaign
Debunking AI Apps
BSBot Helps Publicis Clients Tell the Truth About AI from Fiction at Cannes
Personalized Professional Content Generators
Viralify AI Crafts LinkedIn Posts to Save You Time
Cocktail-Inspired Togetherness Activations
Smirnoff's Global Connectivity Initiative Launched
Love-Centric Public Service Announcements
Ad Council & R/GA Debut the Love Has No Labels Campaign
Food-Focused Travel Guide Platforms
'FoodieTrip' Connects Hungry Travelers to Experienced Guides
Novelty Polling Websites
Funnypoll Gives Users a Quick Laugh in an Often Overwhelming Online Space
Modern Pet Tagging
PuppySignal Uses a QR Tag System to Locate Lost Pets Quickly
Instant Accommodation Bookings
Travly Debuts its New Online Travel Agent
Censorship-Combatting Social Media Campaigns
Operation Retweet Uses AI-Generated Avatars
Dog-Themed Meeting Avatars
Doge Meet Transforms Google Meet Avatars into Talking Doge Characters
Viral Baby Hotel Partnerships
The Four Seasons Hotel Partners a Viral Baby for a Weekend