Social media is constantly evolving, and some videos, audios, and challenges go viral overnight. Some social media trends stick around for the long run and become users’ go-tos, while others blow up and vanish in a week. Trends move so quickly that it’s nearly impossible to predict, but while they’re in the spotlight, we can examine how they got there and why we love them. Let’s take a look behind our next trend, canon events.
Canon events is a trend that has essentially blown up overnight and taken over For You pages across TikTok. What is a canon event? It’s an unfortunate, embarrassing, or traumatic event that makes a person who they are and is inevitable. Canon event content follows the same format: A user looks into the camera awkwardly as a text overlay describes an embarrassing or traumatic event they went through in the past, followed by the phrase (it’s a canon event), and the same music plays over the video.
We Can’t Interfere, It’s a Canon Event
The canon event trend has blown up massively over a short time, leaving some viewers confused about how it came to be and what it means, so where did the trend originate? The phrase “a canon event” originated from the movie, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which was released in early June. In the film, the must-happen events in Spider-Man’s life in order for him to become Spider-Man, in case you didn’t know, are that a spider must bite him to gain his powers and he must lose a family member.
Take a look at one of the first canon event videos to appear on June 5. While this doesn’t follow the personal element that the trend evolved into, it gives insights into how it started:
@jan.goh I need this to be canon #spidermanacrossthespiderverse #accrossthespiderverse #spiderman #milesmorales ♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
Since the film’s release, the trend gained massive popularity within days and evolved into an entity beyond the film and the Spider-Man fanbase. People began using it to describe personal events from their own life that shaped them into the person they are today (whether positive or negative) from the point of view that they are witnessing it happen to someone else and “can’t interfere.” Events can range from bad fashion choices to dating someone bad for them to entering a toxic job. While the events described are negative, the videos take a humorous and self-deprecating point of view.
Google Trends shows a steady incline from the date of the movie’s release, peaking in late June. While the trend’s popularity is leveling out, it is still very much alive on social media platforms, and for many users, it’s inescapable on their For You pages. In a short period, the #canonevent hashtag has racked up 527.6 million views on TikTok and is still growing daily.
The trend even earned its own TikTok filter that tells users their canon event, which has been used over 717,000 times.
@morganpresleyxo♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
Why We Love Canon Events
As mentioned above, canon events quickly surpassed the Spider-Man fanbase, and users who weren’t aware of its meaning were stressing to find out and even using it to share their own events.
@bex392 ??? #canonevent #help ♬ original sound – Bex
We believe that so many users gravitated toward the trend because it follows a recurring theme in TikTok content: sharing embarrassing or traumatic events in a funny tone and relating with others who share the experience.
The “it is what it is” message and idea that the unfortunate event had to happen in order for personal character development helps people deal with the event on a personal level and gain validation from others.
Dr. Caroline Moul, a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney’s School of Psychology, told The Guardian, “In terms of dealing with a negative event, I think it’s quite positive. It’s almost like a form of acceptance” because the trend appears to be a way of publicly letting go of what “could have” or “should have” been.
The videos are often told from the point of view that they are witnessing someone else making the same mistake they made in the past, perhaps offering comfort that they are not the only ones who have experienced and will experience it. It gives users the comfort of knowing that what happened to them in the past happened for a reason and, like Spider-Man, served as character development and made them into the person they are today.
@srienaswag toxic codependency builds character (that’s what i told myself) #fypシ ♬ Spider-Man 2099 (Miguel O’Hara) – Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
Brands and Canon Events?
Like countless others, this trend is growing rapidly and may experience a drop-off. Unlike other trends we have explored, such as GRWM, the tiny mic, and unboxing, canon events may not have an evergreen element, so if brands are interested in participating, they must act fast.
However, this is just a prediction, and trends can be notoriously unpredictable. While it is still unknown how quickly this trend will fade or if it will stick around for a long time, whichever course it may take, brands can have fun with it while it’s here and hot.
To jump in on this trend, brands need to be willing to:
Get creative, and don’t take yourself too seriously. The point of the canon event trend is to share embarrassing or unpleasant moments in a relatable and humorous way. Don’t shy away from getting creative and showing an unserious side of your brand.
Let creators share their canon events. As we know, creators know their audience best; let them share their event and assist them with tying it back to your brand. If you want to hop on the trend even more quickly, consider making a short piece of content internally and having a staff member participate!
Let your niche do the talking. Much canon event content is highly niche; videos often cater to people from a specific cultural group, people with unique interests, or people with shared cringe childhood experiences. Take a deep look into what people in your niche relate to and use it as a jumping-off point.
Act fast and don’t think too hard about it! The trend can be made simply. For example: Not discovering your brand soon enough? It’s a canon event. Making a vital mistake while doing your makeup or cooking a new recipe? It’s a canon event (that your brand can interfere with).
Jumping on trends is essential to brands staying relevant and generating engagement. Creating content using the canon event is an opportunity with a small window of timeliness, but highly beneficial if done right. Reach out to Open Influence today for a creator marketing agency’s perspective on how to discover how to act fast and take advantage of the latest social media trends.
