Social media moments that defined 2024: From lookalike contests to Moo Deng
Share:
If you spent much of 2024 endlessly doom-scrolling on social media, you’ll know it was time well spent, as our feeds were jam-packed with hilarious viral moments. Collectively, we reached new levels of brain rot with the amount of content consumed (so much so it was Oxford University Press's 2024 Word of the Year). And some brilliantly chaotic cultural moments unfolded right before our eyes. From Brat summer to the Willy Wonka experience, join me on a journey looking back at the viral moments that defined 2024.
![[THAILAND-ANIMAL]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/09/16/14/53/THAILAND-ANIMAL-cs11oyti.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
The Bear star, Jeremy Allen White kicked off the year with a viral Calvin Klein campaign. The actor turned up the heat in a series of sexy pictures in which he posed in his tighty whities on a New York rooftop. It had the internet screaming ‘YES CHEF’ all over again.
In February, we saw the disastrous Willy Wonka experience in Glasgow go viral. Parents reported children bursting into tears when they discovered the actors playing the Oompa Loompas were struggling to remember their scripts. A video of a mysterious scary figure called ‘The Unknown’ appeared from behind a mirror which caused children to whimper in fear. The clip amassed millions of views and became an instant viral sensation.
Remember when Rishi Sunak was Prime Minister? Remember when he single-handedly killed off the nation’s love for Adidas Sambas? Sunak issued an apology after a picture of him wearing the fashion trainer went viral. It’s safe to say that sales rapidly declined soon after. One user wrote “And just like that, Sambas are back in the charity shops”.
![[Luigi Mangione - Brian Thompson (CEO of UnitedHealthcare) SHOOTER]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/12/09/21/53/Luigi-Mangione-Brian-Thompson-(CEO-of-UnitedHealthcare)-SHOOTER-asb66fyr.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
