How Viral Trends on TikTok Drive Engagement

TikTok continues to be the launchpad for today’s most viral trends. Its unique ecosystem transforms niche memes and entertainment chatter into global talking points almost overnight. However, this speed also makes it volatile — conversations rise and fall within days. In the case of The Summer I Turned Pretty, activity peaked on the date the finale aired 17 September with almost 5,000 posts in a single day, before tapering off in the days that followed. For marketers, this is a reminder that spotting and riding these waves early is key  and that tools like Visibrain give brands the agility they need to act fast.

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The Summer I Turned Pretty Finale in Numbers...

Analysing TikTok content around the finale revealed how fans drove the show’s online success. Viral posts like Marie Stella’s parody video, which hit 28.9 million views, 3.8 million likes, and nearly 900,000 shares, captured the frenzy of audience anticipation. Meanwhile, the official The Summer I Turned Pretty account kept pace, with its movie announcement post amassing 9.3 million views, 2 million likes, and over 400,000 shares. Even creators outside the official channel, like Reece with his reaction video, racked up 7 million views and 1.8 million likes. Together, these posts demonstrate the layered dynamics of TikTok virality: official content sets the stage, but fans and creators amplify it into a cultural event


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The Surprise Players That Took Over the Conversation

Perhaps the most surprising insight came from looking at which company accounts engaged. Beyond the expected accounts like The Summer I Turned Pretty (3.7M likes) and Prime Video (450k likes), it was sports brands that stood out. Red Bull Racing (300k likes), PSG (140k likes), and ESPN (22k likes)  all joined the conversation. Even hockey teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Chicago Blackhawks. By tapping into the buzz around this teen drama, these brands extended their reach beyond traditional audiences, showing how trendjacking even across unexpected cultural spaces can unlock massive visibility. What emerges is a lesson in creative agility and cross-industry listening and story-telling.

 


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@redbullracing

The ending that we ALL wanted 🥹 #f1 #teamconrad #tsitp #maxverstappen

♬ Yippee sound - Laur(engene) 🦁
@psg Absolute cinema 🎬 @the summer i turned pretty 🙌 #PSG #TeamConrad #Belly #thesummeriturnedpretty ♬ original sound - Entertainment Weekly

 

How Visibrain Helps Brands Seize the Moment

 

The takeaway for brands is clear: opportunities often lie outside your immediate category. By tracking fast-moving online conversations, businesses can identify moments to join in authentically and amplify their reach in surprising ways.

With Visibrain, brands don’t just monitor what’s happening in their own sector; they uncover the cultural waves that are reshaping audiences across industries. The Summer I Turned Pretty finale is proof that sometimes, the most unexpected crossovers deliver the biggest wins.