Sipping Negroni Sbagliato's while the world burns...

The Moments Matrix is a fortnightly guide to what’s trending on the world’s leading social media sites. Find out what’s going viral, here to stay across mainstream and niche topics.  

Photo: The Social Intelligence Lab        

COP27 takes center stage
COP 27 kicks off in Egypt this week, setting off a flurry of coverage about climate change. Newspapers and social media will be keeping a close eye on the agenda and any commitments made at the summit.
Data source: Web and Social
Source: NewsWhip

Social platform shake up
Hello Elon, goodbye social as we know it. With Elon at the helm, twitter advertising in a tizzy, and all of us unsure of the future of Twitter, users are turning to something random - Mastadon; a new social channel that is a twitter look-a-like, except it is decentralized. Too early to say wether Mastadon is here to stay, but increasingly niche social platforms that host dedicated communities are definitely not going anywhere.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

A cautionary tale around influencers
Kanye West - the famed rapper and fashion mogul - was dropped by many of his key fashion partners, like Adidas and Balenciaga, due to anti-sematic comments he made on Twitter and Instagram. Despite how anyone may feel about this, this is a prominent example of the risks behind influencer marketing strategies and collaborations. Outside of the brands that were directly tied to Kanye West, numerous other brands have reviewed this conversation to understand a) what's the impact on our brand? And b) are there any influencers we should be vetting more thoroughly? Going forward, we can possibly expect more stringent policies around which celebrities and public figures companies collaborate with.
Data Source: News, Media, Twitter, Google, Instagram
Source: Nichefire

Midterms continue to dominate
The US midterms are taking place on November 8th, and it feels like anything could happen. Social media is abuzz with predictions, while pundits are trying to make sense of the polling and what it could mean before the polls close on Tuesday.
Data source: web and social
Source: NewsWhip

Continued Brexit fallout
More than 900k viewers have watched a video by the FT called ‘The Brexit effect: how leaving the EU hit the UK’. The film examines how Brexit affected the UK economy, arguing that the UK's recent "mini budget" can be traced back to the UK's decision to leave the EU. The commentators shared their frustrations with Brexit and how it negatively impacted them. They also shared stories of encountering Brexiteers in real-life, noting that they tend to refuse to see the negative economic impact Brexit had. Others expressed the wish for a wider public debate on Brexit, which they currently considered to be lacking.
Data source: YouTube
Source: Listen + Learn Research

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The spirit of hellowe'en
Although Halloween has passed, we can't not talk about the latest trend in memes: defining a persona as a Halloween costume. Spirit Halloween is known for two things: 1) taking over the real estate of failed retailers; and 2) selling cheap, fun, and knock-off Halloween costumes. This year, many people shared their funny twist on these Halloween costumes on major social platforms, like Instagram and Twitter, by personifying the types of people they see in real life as a Spirit Halloween Halloween costume. And even though Halloween is over and we anticipate this to die down over the next 1-2 weeks, consumers are still having fun participating in this trend!
Data source: Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Twitter
Source: Nichefire

Sunak as new PM
Over 2.2k commentators responded to the Reddit threat "Rishi Sunak to be next Prime Minister after winning leadership contest" on r/worldnews. Most users were negative, with many reacting with ridicule and sarcasm. “Winning” is certainly a word for it I suppose." (accompanied by 6.5k upvotes), "How soon are we repeating this fiasco again?" (3.2k upvotes), and "Someone buy some lettuce" (1.7k upvotes). Redditors clearly indicate that they don't believe Sunak will be in office for long. Others are frustrated with the situation as they want a general election. Some people celebrate that Sunak is the first Indian man to be Prime Minister. Though, others point out that it would have been more meaningful if the general public had actually voted him in, again calling for a general election.
Data source: Reddit
Source: Listen + Learn Research

Legalising cannabis
1.5k Redditors responded to the thread "Germany to legalize cannabis use for recreational purposes" on r/news. They generally applauded Germany for the decision to legalise cannabis use for recreational purposes. "Well done lads, wish we could do the same in the UK" (1.3k upvotes) said one. "Very good news. Progressive move." (1.2k upvotes), noted another. The news also sparked a debate about whether cannabis should be legalised in their countries. Redditors seemed to agree that weed should be legal, especially considering that alcohol and cigarettes are allowed despite their detrimental impact on people's health. Some emphasised, however, that it shouldn't be allowed in public due to its strong smell.
Data source: Reddit
Source: Listen + Learn Research

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A Negroni Sbagliato
The reign of the negroni has arrived. In a recent BTS HBO interview of House of Dragons stars Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy, the characters shared their drinks of choice. D'Arcy's ..shall we say enthusiasm?... for a Negroni Sbagliato made the video go absolutely viral, and there are now over 73k videos using this template on TikTok. Use the template to show off your unique tastes.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

What new law would you like to see?
Last week saw a trending conversation on Twitter called"What's one law you'd love to see brought into force the UK?" on AskUK. Over 4.1k Redditors discussed the kinds of laws they'd like to introduce in the UK. They mostly made serious suggestions. One commentator advocated for assisted suicide (and received 4.7k upvotes). In response, other users share stories of loved ones who suffered a horrible slow death, making the case for why assisted suicide should be legal. Others treated the suggestion with caution and called for strict laws related to the topic. Another Redditor describes the frustration of not being able to unsubscribe from services quickly. They noted:"If you were able to create an account and subscription online for your beer delivery service in the pace of 2 minutes then you should be able to cancel said service (assuming you've not tied yourself in) online in 2 minutes.". Many have experienced that same frustration and shared their own stories. Someone point
Data source: Reddit
Source: Listen + Learn Research

What Affirmative Action Can Tell Us About Trends in American Politics
The US Supreme Court is deliberating another hot button issue: Affirmative Action. Just a couple months prior, the case for abortion was decided. How do these trends play out? On average, these types of trends last about 2 weeks and are heavily impacted by news and media since those channels are the initial catalyst. They are also extremely polarising. It's quite dangerous for any brand to participate in these types of conversations. What this also means is that, whether or not this topic is on top of mind continuously, consumer interest is quite rapid and needs continuous coverage for it to persist.
Data source: Twitter, News, Media, Google
Source: Nichefire

Powerball Madness
It is all the buz rn, and for good reason. The US Powerball lottery is shattering records, and worth almost 2 billion! The lottery is on hold (due to security reasons), but the conversation is not.
Data Source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

Twitter abuzz with LFC purchase rumors
News recently broke that Liverpool Football Club might be up for sale, and Twitter has been ripe with speculation about who the buyer might be and what the purchase might mean for the future of the sports club
Data source: Twitter
Source: NewsWhip

Cluttercore
Maximalists, rejoice! Beige, minimalist interiors are old news. The up and coming generation thinks we're all boring. Design tastes now reflect a joyful, chaotic embracing of everyone's inner weird. Clutter is cool, and finally gets its own aesthetic. I won't be doing laundry this weekend.
Data source: TikTok
Source: ViralMoment

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Interest in Buying a Home Has Declined
Consumer interest in buying a home hit its highest in more than a decade in the first quarter of 2022. That interest has rapidly declined as governments worldwide wrangle unhinged inflation - hitting its lowest since the beginning of the pandemic. In the US, interest rates have hit 7% - one of the major reasons behind this trend. But, the aggressiveness of the market in the end of Q4 2021 and beginning of Q1 2022 saw a rapid over correction in Q2 of 2022.
Data source: Google, Web Traffic
Source: Nichefire

Mortgage origination worries
r/wallstreetbets discussed Wells Fargo reporting that mortgage originations had dropped by 90 percent since the Fed started hiking rates, and the impact that might have on the economy in 2023
Data source: Reddit
Source: NewsWhip

No hatred here - Nike learns from Adidas' mistakes
Fresh off the heels of Adidas dropping Kanye over an antisemetic social post, Nike has dropped Kyrie Irving and will not be dropping his upcoming sneaker release for tweeting a link to an antisemetic film, and refusing to disavow it. He's now suspended from his NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets. Society is clapping back to hateful viewpoints, and there is a clear pattern in the incidents. Nike ending its relationship with Kyrie Irving after the basketball star failed to apologize for problematic tweets, in a marked difference from how Adidas went about ending its relationship with Kanye West.
Data source: TikTok, Web, and Social
Source: ViralMoment and NewsWhip

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