Looking Back on Singapore's Top Circuit Breaker Trends

In light of the recent new wave of COVID-19 transmissions across the local community, Singapore has seen itself placed back into heightened phase 2 alert, essentially, somewhat like a Circuit Breaker 2.0. Nostalgic much?

So in this blog post, we have a treat for you! We are throwing it back to some of the top Circuit Breaker trends of 2020, and how both brands and influencers can adapt to this sudden change in uncertain times.

‍

1. Dalgona Coffee

Definitely one of THE top trends to come out of Circuit Breaker. From getting a good arm workout (from whipping the mixture up) to the posting of masterpieces all over social media, even if you did not try making it, you definitely would’ve heard of it. 

Fancy looking, tastes good and relatively easy to make, it is not surprising that this foamy Korean beverage received so much clout. Influencers like Myke Motus and Amber Yong, were seen hopping onto this trend and influencing more to do the same.

‍

2. TikTok dance videos 

Circuit Breaker was the period where the wave of TikTok trends and dances hit Singapore like a storm. From “Renegade renegade 🎵 to Savage Love ~”, Gen Zs, influencers, everyone was hooked onto TikTok as they rode the boredom of staying at home away. That was when some Singaporean TikTok influencers also grew their follower base.

Singaporean TikToker Ian Jeevan, first started a TikTok account for fun during Circuit Breaker, but slowly managed to increase his follower base and now has gained over 100k followers. Mainly known for his comedic skits, his videos gained the attention of many for being not only funny, but relatable. 

Collaborations between brands such as Lifebuoy were also seen being done with influencers like Benjamin Kheng and JianHao Tan. Using TikTok dances to promote Lifebuoy whilst concurrently teaching others about the importance of hygiene amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

‍

3. Baking

Possibly out of boredom, suddenly everyone became bakers. Shops and stores have reported a surge in sales of baking ingredients, and many mentioned that they faced the problem of restocking fast enough.

From baking homemade bread (Sourdough, Banana bread) to baking Burnt Basque Cheesecake, avid bakers, home bakers, people who have never baked before in their life, many turned to baking to feed their boredom. Influencers like Mia Foo and Fann Wong were seen seizing the opportunity to bake during Circuit Breaker.

4. Online games, Video Calls

During Circuit Breaker, many heavy restrictions were imposed. The major one included hanging out with friends, meetups of any size were not allowed (unless special circumstances were given). Video calls became the new way of meeting up, and online games like “House Party”, “Among Us” and “Skribbl” were played by many friend groups across Singapore. 

Read on here to find out more about Gaming Influencers!

‍

5. Home Workouts

Gyms, pools, indoor exercise facilities were all closed. Many were seen turning to home workouts as a form of substitute. One fitness YouTuber influencer that gained the attention of many was Chloe Ting. With over 20 million subscribers, and one of her most popular videos titled “Get Abs in 2 WEEKS | Abs Workout Challenge” garnering over 350 million views.

Other fitness influencers like Tyen Rasif were also seen posting home workout videos on her instagram, motivating others to workout with her.

Interested to read up more on fitness influencers? Check out our recent blog post on fitness influencers here!

‍

Implications

When faced with things out of our control, the only way to rise above is to ADAPT to these changes. Following Circuit Breaker 2020, studies have shown a significant change in Singaporean consumers’ digital behaviour as more and more people are turning to online shopping and increased social media usage.

‍

What’s Next for Brands and Influencers?

This change in consumers’ digital behaviour poses significant opportunities for brands and influencers alike and it is crucial that they seize these opportunities. For brands, it is understanding the need to accelerate their digital transformation and the impact on future influencer marketing campaigns. Whereas for influencers, it is understanding the shift in the type of  content that seems more relevant in times like this.

It is uncertain when this pandemic will end, nevertheless, brands and businesses should always be on high alert as change is the only constant in times like these.