Trend — How a rock went viral on Twitter

Hi there!

I couldn’t wait. This twitter trend was too funny not to share. That’s why I wrote a special #TweetTrendThread edition!

Twitter is reliving Sesame Street nostalgia! Tweeps couldn’t stop talking about two Muppets fighting about a rock, Elmo released a personal statement and Twitter Brands couldn’t wait to jump in.

Enjoy the read!

On January 4th, cheye shared an old fragment that shows two Sesame Street muppets — Elmo and Zoe — arguing about a rock.

Elmo asked Gabi if he could get an oatmeal raisin cookie. But Gabi wanted to keep that cookie for herself. “No problem,” thought Elmo, because there’s still one oatmeal raisin cookie left. But Zoe said Elmo couldn’t have that cookie, because her friend Rocco wants that cookie.

But that friend in question — Rocco — is a rock. And Elmo doesn’t understand why a rock needs a cookie. That’s how both Elmo and Zoe started an argument. 

This hilarious video fragment got 100K+ Retweets and 400K+ likes. Lots of people were wondering why Elmo was getting so angry about a rock

And remaining silent when a “crisis” unfolds isn’t always a great idea, so Elmo (or his PR Team) released an official statement on Twitter: 

And Elmo’s Tweets ignited even more discussions, memes, videos and jokes. 

So why should I highlight a viral video that shows two Muppets fighting about a rock? Well, this viral video shows how effective the use of nostalgia and humor in Social Media posts can be. Many of us grew up with Sesame Street, and seeing a video that shows Elmo becoming angry about a rock is just too funny. 

Can I also remind you how unpredictable virality is? Who would’ve thought that a Sesame Street video would go viral in 2022? And remember: Sesame Street didn’t post this video, a random Twitter user did.

Elmo’s decision to release a personal statement on Twitter was a smart one: It only resulted in more virality, likes, Retweets and discussions. Free publicity for Elmo and Sesame Street! Even news media were reporting on 2022’s first Muppet drama. 

What are your thoughts on the trend? Did you find this trend just as funny as I did?

And by the way: did you like this shorter newsletter format? Should I do this more often? Should I maybe divide Tweet, Trend, Thread into three separate issues? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you

Except you Rocco. You’re a rock.