Benedict Townsend

This is a Global Player Original Podcast. You know those addictive videos that follow a marble as it sets off an elaborate chain reaction? Well, this extended metaphor is about as hard to pull off as one of those. Stay with me now. If YouTube was the first domino that set the marble off, Vine was the perfectly timed slingshot propelling it forward. And Instagram?

This is a Global Player Original Podcast. You know those addictive videos that follow a marble as it sets off an elaborate chain reaction? Well, this extended metaphor is about as hard to pull off as one of those. Stay with me now. If YouTube was the first domino that set the marble off, Vine was the perfectly timed slingshot propelling it forward. And Instagram?

The magnetized pulley lifting it higher. Then the marble perfectly landing in the bucket? That's TikTok. My point is, in the digital world, everything is connected and timing is everything. Every day, 34 million videos are posted on TikTok, so if you have a great idea that misses its off-ramp, tough luck, buddy.

The magnetized pulley lifting it higher. Then the marble perfectly landing in the bucket? That's TikTok. My point is, in the digital world, everything is connected and timing is everything. Every day, 34 million videos are posted on TikTok, so if you have a great idea that misses its off-ramp, tough luck, buddy.

Today's algorithms worship newness, meaning trends have the same lifespan as a housefly, and songs, sounds, and challenges become nauseating as quickly as they become catchy.

Today's algorithms worship newness, meaning trends have the same lifespan as a housefly, and songs, sounds, and challenges become nauseating as quickly as they become catchy.

Until it wasn't. The viral catchphrase made cashier-turned-content-creator Jules Lebrun an overnight sensation. Her TikTok following skyrocketed into the millions, earning her appearances on morning shows, late-night TV, but just two weeks after she started trending, two strangers had already submitted trademark applications for her phrase. Now, don't worry. Jules fought back. She won.

Until it wasn't. The viral catchphrase made cashier-turned-content-creator Jules Lebrun an overnight sensation. Her TikTok following skyrocketed into the millions, earning her appearances on morning shows, late-night TV, but just two weeks after she started trending, two strangers had already submitted trademark applications for her phrase. Now, don't worry. Jules fought back. She won.

She cashed in. When J-Lo, the Kardashians, Maybelline, the White House, even NASA jumped on the trend, she was able to turn brand deals into life-changing income. And this isn't uncommon, but it's a cautionary tale. Remember Hoctour? Hoctour! How could you forget Hoctour? The US trademark database has over 30 applications for it, including one by the woman who actually said it. Not demure.

She cashed in. When J-Lo, the Kardashians, Maybelline, the White House, even NASA jumped on the trend, she was able to turn brand deals into life-changing income. And this isn't uncommon, but it's a cautionary tale. Remember Hoctour? Hoctour! How could you forget Hoctour? The US trademark database has over 30 applications for it, including one by the woman who actually said it. Not demure.

And this messy business of viral ownership started on Vine. I'm Benedict Townsend, host of Scroll Deep, a show that's chronically online so you don't have to be. And this is Vine. Six seconds that changed the world. The biography of the little app that could and then didn't.

And this messy business of viral ownership started on Vine. I'm Benedict Townsend, host of Scroll Deep, a show that's chronically online so you don't have to be. And this is Vine. Six seconds that changed the world. The biography of the little app that could and then didn't.

Of all of Vine's features, the app's greatest triumph, the democratization of content, the thing that allowed anyone to rise to the top spot, that's what made it a cultural force. While the origins of the most iconic Vines may be lost, forgotten to the sands of time, they still live on.

Of all of Vine's features, the app's greatest triumph, the democratization of content, the thing that allowed anyone to rise to the top spot, that's what made it a cultural force. While the origins of the most iconic Vines may be lost, forgotten to the sands of time, they still live on.

Today, TikTok's riffing on Vine energy and YouTube compilations of TikToks that taste like Vines are still bringing the greatest hits to a new generation. But the same thing Vine was celebrated for, that allowed people to go from complete obscurity to genuine stardom, may also have been the app's biggest blind spot.

Today, TikTok's riffing on Vine energy and YouTube compilations of TikToks that taste like Vines are still bringing the greatest hits to a new generation. But the same thing Vine was celebrated for, that allowed people to go from complete obscurity to genuine stardom, may also have been the app's biggest blind spot.

You're not likely to know the name Brandon Moore, but you've very likely heard his iconic video.

You're not likely to know the name Brandon Moore, but you've very likely heard his iconic video.

Officer, I got one question for you.

Officer, I got one question for you.