Virality from Cranberry Juice
You’re scrolling through TikTok and on your For You Page pops a video of a man, username @420doggface208, skateboarding down the street. “Dreams” by classic rock band Fleetwood Mac plays as he sips on a 64 oz. bottle of Ocean Spray cran-raspberry juice. It’s good vibes all around. You give it a like and may even send it to a friend who would also enjoy it, then you keep scrolling.
Nathan Apodaca, the man behind the original video, spoke to NPR about the background of the now viral video. Apocada works in a potato warehouse and on that day, his truck broke down on his way to work. He grabbed his skateboard and the bottle of juice, and continued on, deciding to post a TikTok on the way. He could have never predicted that a little more than a week later, co-founder and drummer of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood, recreates the TikTok, launching it’s virality even further than it had already achieved. Stevie Nicks even jumped on the bandwagon, making her own verison of the TikTok. Apocada’s video currently has 46.6 million views, 8 million likes, and 470,000 shares. Ocean Spray enjoyed their presence in the video so much, Apocada was gifted with a brand new truck, painted cranberry red of course.
So what made this TikTok go viral? It’s easy to assume it’s just a coincidence or luck, but it’s much more than that. 2020 has been a year that has left many people feeling angry, stressed, anxious, and even depressed, and with the US presidential election in less than a month, tensions are high. It’s hard to avoid the topics of politics or COVID-19 these days, so this TikTok has helped give viewers 26 seconds of positivity and distraction from the everyday worries. Once Apocada starts singing along, it’s hard to resist not getting involved jamming out to the iconic song. People’s emotions play a big part in helping something go viral since we feel compelled to act when we feel an extreme sense of happiness, anger, excitement, etc. With the immense amount of happiness this video brought viewers, it was a no-brainer to pass it along to their friends and families, so much so that it ended up in the hands of Mick Fleetwood and Stevie Nicks.
Something doesn’t go viral for no reason. Different elements and concepts work together to get something, whether that be a picture, video, or phrase, spread across all corners of the internet and become a conversation starter. This video made people feel happy and relaxed. With all the chaos and stress people are facing almost everyday now, it’s nice to appreciate the little moments that make us smile. We all need to unwind with some cranberry juice, good vibes, and Fleetwood Mac every once in a while.