Why are we watching the new Minions film in suits?

This tuned-in marketing strategy is a testament to social media’s evolution over the last five years or so. Brands are leaning further and further into ironic, left-field meme culture, so much so that they often abandon their usually squeaky clean image for some truly unhinged videos.

Duolingo’s account is a prime example of this new-age strategy. Check this one out, which uses…feet pictures as a meme?

@duolingo

♬ Bananza (Belly Dancer) – stella💜

We’ve seen TikTok become a serious global force in marketing and popular culture in recent years. Kate Bush’s sudden rise up the charts for a song four decades old is part of a growing advertising tactic that focuses on streaming, TikTok, and social media in order to repurpose dated material – film franchises like the Minions are no different.

So, while I can’t exactly pinpoint why we’re dressing up in suits and heading to the theatre, I do know that this trend hits several key Gen Z tropes that have helped it gain widespread appeal.

First off, it tows the line between being ironic and genuine. How much of the suit-wearing adoration is tongue-and-cheek and how much is heartfelt, nostalgic obsession is unclear, giving the spectacle an edge that’s not entirely dissimilar to the recent Binley Mega Chippy craze.

It also encourages a specific type of video that’s easy to mess around with. Some TikTok users have taken things a step further from just donning suits, creating full-on narratives and story lines for comedic purposes.

Thirdly, it’s also just fun. A night out to the cinema with friends is entertaining enough, but with formal attire? I can get behind that. If I was still in my teenage years (a fading memory now) I could imagine I’d end up lost in the meme sauce.

To conclude, the #gentleminion trend is a sign of social media’s ability to create profit and break box office records, further confirming that TikTok is indeed our platform of choice for the future of pop culture. It demonstrates the willingness of big-name franchises to jump into quick trends, regardless of how surreal they become.

Whatever’s next, who’s to say. For now we’ve a banging Minion soundtrack to enjoy – suit up!