#hyhobsinsight

[hyhsocialmedia]

Minister Memes ‘going viral’ to keep South Africans laughing and dancing

Observation: Max Hurrell’s ZOL track has reached almost 10 million views on social media, including the ZOL Challenge and various remixes. It’s based on Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma address when she stated “When people zol, they put saliva on the paper, and then they share that zol…”

Max Hurrell follow up track includes Bheki Cele’s address that said police can question “where [you] got the cigarette” and “when did [you] get the cigarette”, because “buying the cigarette is illegal.”

Why: Another example of how people look to laughter, connection and distractions in a time of a crises when they feel anxious, stressed and isolated.

Coronavirus memes/songs/dances are evolving over time to highlight our state and culture:

Stay safe: wash hands, sanitiser, social distancing (Toto’s Africa)

Supply shortages, panic buying (toilet paper)

Rebelling hygiene and social distancing (US licking toilet seats)

Influencer/celebrity backlash (stuck in lavish houses)

Hardship of no earnings and reality in townships

Surviving quarantine (indoor dances, singing on balconies in Italy)

Depicting apocalypse vs. everything is fine

President and Ministers addresses (alcohol and cigarette bans)

-CS

[hyhsocialmedia]

Girl Hustles For Weave

Observation: A young lady on Twitter posts about getting a job at a construction site to fund her purchase for a weave.

Why: ‘ @unvthi ’ decided to get a job as a general worker at a construction site, perhaps this is because this the easiest way she found to make a quick buck without having lots of work experience. 

Future: Even though she writes that she wouldn't do it ever again, this could inspire other young women to consider such random jobs to make themselves some cash. 

- TM

[hyhsocialmedia]

Skin Care is a social trend

Observation: Taking care of your skin has become social media trend. from facial masks, skin renewal treatments to home-made masks. The trend has become such a popular thing with influencers and content creators sharing their skin care tips, this is very female focused.

The males on the other hand have started sharing their skin care content but there is a very small potion of males that are comfortable and exposed to the skin care trend for them to share on their social media. 

Why: Amongst all the social media content such as fashion, music and beauty, skin care has joined the content category. People are also sharing skin care as part of their instagram content.

Past: In the past taking care of your skin was seen as something that requires one to have  money to do, whether it was buying the right products for your skin or visiting a specialist Also, in the past skin care brands never used to engage with consumers on this level where they get to collaborate with people that have specific skin conditions to promote their products and to help influencers tell their skin care journeys through their platforms.

Future: Currently taking care of your skin has become such a popular trend on social media and influencers are leading the trend. Skin care is on its way to redefine beauty in the future and just create a safe space for people to embrace their own beauty.

-SH

[hyhconsumerandbrand]

Adidas and Reebok Are Collaborating for the First Time

Boost technology meets the Instapump Fury.

Observation: Adidas has owned Reebok since 2005, when it bought the company for $3.8 billion. But until now, the two brands have never worked together on a sneaker. Nearly 15 years after the acquisition, the Three Stripes will lend Reebok its Boost technology for a new imagining of the retro Instapump Fury model.

Why:  Known as the Instapump Fury Boost, the model is relatively straightforward, swapping out the standard Instapump Fury's EVA foam midsole with the Boost technology many sneakerheads are familiar with. Aside from the midsole material, things are kept mostly faithful to the OG, although there's a new co-branded support band running across the midfoot of the shoe's laceless upper. Further branding includes Boost embroidery on the heel.

The rollout of the Instapump Fury will be broken up into three launches, with the first coming "Prototype" colorway (below) exclusively at AtmosCon Japan on Oct. 5. Inspired by an OG Instapump Fury sample, it will release globally on Nov. 15.

- TD

[hyhsocialmedia]

Looking for the one on Facebook Dating? You may find the 2nd in Mark.

Observation

Facebook started with relationship statuses and now they’re trying to enable those relationships in the first place. With its one-sized fits all solution for an industry that has proven to need several platforms of varying niches, many are interested to see how the story of this new feature pans out. 

Stemming from all the data speculation around the social media platform, Facebook’s clearest advantage is that it already has an intensive, well-informed directory of most of the people that you know and it can leverage that network for things like its “secret crush” feature that lets you list friends of yours that you’re interested in and can make a connection if one of those Facebook friends feels the same way.  But don’t stress - Facebook vows to not share your dating profile with your current friends.

Facebook Dating makes it easier to find love through what you like — helping you start meaningful relationships through things you have in common, like interests, events and groups. It takes the work out of creating a dating profile and gives you a more authentic look at who someone is.

- Nathan Sharp, Product Manager, Facebook Dating

Obviously, this announcement has been met with loads of speculation:

It also makes it a bit easier for those of us who enjoy the odd tango with infidelity (although not exclusive to this platform alone).

Facebook Dating removes your relationship status, making it possible to use the app while staying in a "Facebook official" relationship. "You can also choose how you want to present yourself to potential matches, like whether you provide different information than you have on your Facebook profile...” - Erin Egan, VP and Chief Privacy Officer, Public Policy.

Future

The biggest threat to Facebook’s dating play is that people aren’t using Facebook the same way that they did ten or fifteen years ago. Facebook very well could have missed the boat. The app has become more about media consumption, where actions like visiting friends’ profiles are more about browsing or commenting than interacting and pursuing actual conversation.

Undeniably, the existing network of users Facebook has to expose to its new feature and the data it has on each of those users is its key to success. The convenience may just give rise to the largest dating platform in the world.

- KH