Pet Rock is a collectible toy made in 1975 by advertising executive Gary Dahl. They were rocks packaged in custom cardboard boxes complete with ventilation holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier. The fad lasted about six months, ending after a short increase in sales during the Christmas season of December 1975. Although by February 1976 they were discounted due to lower sales, Dahl sold over one million Pet Rocks for $4 each, and became a millionaire.
In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit refers to a film, television series, music release, video game, or other entertainment product that was unpromising on release but eventually became a surprise success. A sleeper hit may have little promotion or lack a successful launch but gradually develops a fandom following media attention, which in turn increases its public exposure and public interest in the product. As Variety puts it, "A 'sleeper hit' can be defined as the kind of show that catches us by surprise—programs whose popularity grows over time and can ultimately outshine the preordained hits." A sleeper hit often lacks star performers or high production values, but prevails, at times against its own makers' expectations, on the strength of such qualities as narrative, approach, or novelty, as well as market accidents. Sleeper hit films benefit theater owners because the owners keep a larger percentage of money from ticket sales.
A stress ball or hand exercise ball is a malleable toy, usually not more than 7 centimetres (2.8 in) in diameter. It is squeezed in the hand and manipulated by the fingers, ostensibly to relieve stress and muscle tension or to exercise the muscles of the hand.
Bubble wrap is a pliable transparent plastic material commonly used for protecting fragile items during shipping. Known for its cushioning air-filled bubbles, it has also become a cultural icon, celebrated for its satisfying popping sound and alternative uses as a stress-relief tool. Regularly spaced, protruding air-filled hemispheres (bubbles) provide cushioning for fragile items.
Fat Brain Toys is a United States manufacturer and retailer of educational toys and games. The company was founded by husband and wife, Mark and Karen Carson, from the basement of their home in 2002. It is headquartered in Elkhorn, Nebraska with a distribution center located in nearby Omaha, Nebraska. The company operates two retail storefronts, one in Omaha, Nebraska and another in Overland Park, Kansas. The company specializes in building toys, brainteasers, and multi-player games. They collect various statistics on their consumers and toys, such as the ages of recipients and a 'Toy Value Index' which they display at the lower end of the respective product's page. As of 2014, the company had 46 full-time employees. The staff expands to approximately 300 people during the holiday season.
A fidget spinner or hand spinner is a toy that consists of a ball bearing in the center of a multi-lobed flat structure made from metal or plastic with metal weights in the lobes, designed to spin around its central axis. Fidget spinners became very prevalent trending toys in 2017.
TikTok, whose mainland Chinese and Hong Kong counterpart is Douyin, is a short-form video hosting service owned by Chinese internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from three seconds to 60 minutes. It can be accessed with a smart phone app or the web.
Beach Bunny is an American rock band formed in 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. Initially a solo project by guitarist and vocalist Lili Trifilio, Beach Bunny became a full band in 2017. The group achieved widespread popularity after their 2018 song "Prom Queen" went viral on TikTok in late 2019. Their 2020 song "Cloud 9" also went viral on TikTok in 2021.
"Stupid" is a song by American rapper Ashnikko featuring American rapper Baby Tate from the former's third EP, Hi It's Me, released under Digital Picnic/Parlophone Records on July 12, 2019. Produced by Oscar Scheller, "Stupid" became popular on the video-sharing app TikTok, where celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Cody Simpson have danced to the song. It has been described as industrial and pop-rap. The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised the song for its production, songwriting and vocal performances.
Ashton Nicole Casey, known professionally as Ashnikko, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her 2019 single "Stupid" featuring Yung Baby Tate gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok and was certified platinum in the United States and Canada. Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, was released in January 2021, and spawned the singles "Daisy" and "Slumber Party". Her studio album, Weedkiller, came in 2023.
Dardan Aliu, known professionally as Regard, is a Kosovo-Albanian DJ and record producer. Born and raised in Ferizaj, he made his international breakthrough in 2019 with his remix of Jay Sean's 2008 single "Ride It", which resulted as a commercial success worldwide.
"Lottery", later re-titled as "Lottery (Renegade)" is a song by American rapper K Camp from his third studio album Wayy 2 Kritical (2019). It was released as the album's third single on April 1, 2019, by Rare Sound and Interscope Records. The song was written by K Camp himself and produced by Reazy Renegade. In late 2019, the song went viral online, due to a dance challenge on TikTok, becoming the first sound on the platform to reach 20 million videos. K Camp credited choreographer Jalaiah Harmon for creating the dance challenge, after controversy arose due to Harmon not initially getting credit for it. The song's two official remixes respectively feature fellow American rappers Quavo and T-Pain.
Dixie Jane D'Amelio is an American social media personality and singer known for her videos on TikTok. She is the elder sister of Charli D'Amelio. As of November 2022, she has over 57.5 million followers and 3.3 billion likes on TikTok, 24.2 million followers on Instagram, and 7.04 million subscribers and 619.12 million views on YouTube, where she also hosts a talk show called The Early Late Night Show.
Denarie Bautista Taylor (born Belinda Marie Macadengdeng Batumbakal; February 8, 1997), known professionally as Bella Poarch, is an American social media personality and singer. On August 17, 2020, she created the most liked video on TikTok, in which she lip syncs to the song "M to the B" by British rapper Millie B. She is the most followed TikTok contributor from the Philippines.
Brittany Alexis Tomlinson, known professionally as Brittany Broski, is an American social media personality, YouTuber, and comedian. She initially gained fame after a video of her tasting kombucha for the first time went viral on TikTok in 2019. She signed to United Talent Agency later that year and has since hosted the TikTok-produced podcast For You (2021), the pop culture-focused podcasts Violating Community Guidelines (2022–2023) with Sarah Schauer and The Broski Report (2023–present), and the YouTube talk show Royal Court (2023–present). She has frequently been referred to as one of TikTok's biggest stars and noted for her meme-focused humor.
"R U OK" is a song by Canadian singer Tate McRae. It was released on December 13, 2020, through RCA Records as the second single from McRae's second extended play, Too Young to Be Sad. The song was written by McRae, Bryan Fryzel and Lowell.
TikTok food trends are specific food recipes and food-related fads on the social media platform TikTok. This content amassed popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, given that many were inclined to eat at home while simultaneously turning to social media as a form of entertainment. While some TikTok users share their diets and recipes, others expand their brand or image on TikTok through step-by-step videos of easy and popular recipes. Users often refer to food-related content as "FoodTok."
A fidget toy or fidget is typically a small object used for pleasant but purposeless activity with the hands. Some users believe these toys help them tolerate anxiety, frustration, agitation, boredom, and excitement. They are also commonly used by those with sensory difficulties. Fidget toys have uses in both therapeutic and educational settings, although some controversies about their safety and effectiveness have been brought up over the years.
Daniel Macdonald, known as Daniel Mac, is an American social media personality. He rose to popularity on social media by approaching owners of luxury cars and celebrities, asking them "What do you do for a living?", and then posting the interaction on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.
Theo (1928–2019) and Ora (1931–2021) Coster are the founders of Theora Concepts; they were a married Israeli couple and inventors of about 200 games and toys including Guess Who?, Magimizer, Zingo!, and Go Pop.
