The Brief: A popular video format on TikTok is inspired by the video game app Brawl Stars.

Bluesquiggle
DEEP DIVE

On TikTok, the hashtag #BeABrawlStar has received over 178 million views. This popular video format was created as an ad by Brawl Stars app makers Supercell who created a number of videos to a part of the song “All Star” by Smash Mouth. These videos feature various characters or “brawlers” from the game. Brawlers Brock, Dynamike, Sakura Spike, Barley, and others dance to their own unique moves.

Through this sponsored hashtag, TikTok and Supercell encouraged creators to make duet-style videos in which they dance side-by-side with the brawlers. This has led to a variety of videos of people showing their takes on the brawler’s moves. They are typically displayed in a split-screen format where the TikToker is on the left and the brawler is on the right.

The popularity of this meme format demonstrates both how viral dance moves can be on TikTok and how brands are partnering with the platform to create meme-based ads that users will replicate on their own.

#BeABrawlStar