We do love a good meme and viral trend these days don’t we! And this week internet users are jumping all over the covers from the 20th century classic children’s series Little Miss and Mr Men to call out their unique (or well, less unique!) personality traits and insecurities in the newest mega-viral Instagram and TikTok Trend. People are showing their prescription medications (Little Miss one Xanax a day anyone?), highlighting their professions along with getting downright personal, causing much hilarity.
Currently, the #LittleMiss trend has over 400k posts on Instagram and over 80m views on TikTik and rising by the hour. And whilst some social trends do go a little over our heads these days, this is one we’re actually enjoying.
It could be that this trend resonates with our Generation-X-ness. Yes, that’s a thing – we just made it one ;) I grew up with Little Miss and Mr Men and the sight of them anywhere just brings up happy and positive memories, which is refreshing in a time when the majority of social and online content baffles me, goes way over my head, and leaves me thinking “so what”. I’m not even on TikTok as honestly I’m way too old for that and it’s all I can do to brush my hair most days, let alone manage yet another social media channel.
But mainly we love this trend as it is adding some much-needed feel-good to our social feeds. In a sea of posts about Covid, war, climate change, the cost of living crisis and just angry emotional humans more than 2 years into a global Pandemic, don’t we all need a bit of light! And what can be more feel-good than a silly smiling multi-coloured illustration. @juulpuppy, the Instagram creator who is credited for the meme’s virality, herself said she was “trying to think of a meme that was sort of light-hearted and fun.” So, it always came from a place of adding feel good and positive and no more, even if no-one could have imagined how much it would blow up and capture the attention of so many, of all ages and from across the globe.
Many of us are enjoying this because we can use humour to show our personality and in many cases laugh at our personal struggles (Little Miss lives on Dry Shampoo for example – yes, that’s us!) and quirks. It’s a little fun way to express ourselves and share something personal that many don’t, or do, know about us.
I also like that this is a trend, on the whole, we can discuss and talk about with our kids and families. Ok, maybe once we’ve screened out the hardcore prescription med ones and the downright pervy! Our kids, nieces, and nephews all want their own Mr or Miss and well that’s pretty cute. I’m already assuming a whole new line of merchandise will be on the way for Christmas - yikes, is this the first time we’ve used the C word this year?!
Ultimately, if there is anything we need in our world right now, it’s less tragedy and more feel good and we are totally all in for that.
So, what Little Miss or Mr Men are you? #TalkToUs