trendjacking
/TREND-jak-ing/noun
Meaning
The practice of inserting a brand, product, creator, or message into a viral trend, meme, news moment, hashtag, sound, or pop-culture conversation that is already attracting attention. Trendjacking usually aims to increase visibility and engagement, but the word can also criticize a forced or opportunistic attempt to exploit a trend.[1][2][3][4]
- 1. A marketing or social-media tactic that adapts a viral trend, meme, sound, hashtag, or cultural moment to promote a brand or product.
- 2. The broader act of joining a fast-moving online conversation with a related joke, opinion, campaign, or piece of content.
- 3. A critical label for publicity that feels opportunistic, irrelevant, insensitive, or too obviously designed to chase attention.
Examples
“The brand's trendjacking worked because the meme actually fit its product.”
“That apology post was pure trendjacking.”
“Our social team is trendjacking the new sound before everyone gets tired of it.”
“Not every viral hashtag needs a trendjacking campaign.”
“The creator turned the award-show moment into clever trendjacking.”
Origin and spread
Trendjacking is formed from trend and hijacking, using hijacking metaphorically to suggest taking control of attention that is already in motion. It developed in marketing, public relations, and social-media circles alongside real-time marketing and the related term newsjacking. A September 6, 2012 article already treated trendjacking as an alternative name for newsjacking, while a January 16, 2016 social-media guide described it as an established tactic whose success depended on timing and originality. The term later broadened beyond breaking news to include memes, viral sounds, challenges, hashtags, and other online trends.[2]
How to use it
The term is informal but common marketing jargon. It can be neutral when describing a planned social-media tactic, or negative when suggesting that a brand is forcing its way into a conversation for cheap attention. Because trendjacking depends on context and speed, a post can seem witty when it is timely and relevant but embarrassing or exploitative when it arrives late or touches a sensitive subject.
Sources
- 1. Cooler Insights — Newsjacking - a Dirty Little Secret in PRSupports: earliest documented use, meaning.
- 2. Minced Media — What’s Up with Trendjacking? A Quick Reference GuideSupports: meaning, origin.
- 3. Wix Blog — Should your business try trendjacking?Supports: meaning, form.
- 4. Sprout Social — The Guide to Effective TrendjackingSupports: meaning.
