7 Times Scrub Daddy hijacked social trends on Instagram

Nobody wants a washed up social media presence. Clean up your act by soaking in these 7 social trends which were perfectly rinsed for excessive engagement by @scrubdaddy - the smiley sponge company with a social media presence to be happy about.

1. How often do you think about the Roman Empire?

A tidal wave of a TikTok trend that came bubbling to the surface in late 2023 had people asking the men in their lives, “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” and it turns out that many people were surprised by the responses. An overwhelming amount of blokes thought about the Roman Empire frequently, with some lads fessing up to the historical superpower occupying their brains weekly, daily or even several times a day.

Scrub Daddy mopped up this major trend by plopping itself onto Caesar’s throne, while simultaneously promoting its appearance on the major US TV series Shark Tank. It turns out it only takes a simple photo post and the mention of a current trend to relate to over a thousand people…

2. I’ve got ‘the ick’

Getting ‘the ick’ is a way to describe being put off someone, particularly in the dating world, after noticing something about them that you just can’t shake. The phrase ‘the ick’ has been around for decades, but it became a massive part of modern conversation after it was popularised by Olivia Attwood on Love Island. Now people are ‘getting the ick’ all over social media.

Scrub Daddy soaked up this trend by claiming to get the ick from its competitors. With over 3000 actions of engagement and comments saying ‘dump him’, they may not be naming any names but those ‘regular sponges’ know who they are…

3. Extravagant nail art

The trend of showing off your latest manicure has scratched out the possibility of being a fleeting trend and clawed itself towards being a cultural phenomenon, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to loosen its grip any time soon. Long talons drenched in designs are no longer an afterthought of a fashion accessory but a work of art to be admired and displayed online.

Social media is awash with nail art so Scrub Daddy dipped its sponge into this evergreen trend, while promoting nail artist @nailzz_by_kat for her homage to the brand. This photo post on Instagram is dripping in over 13k likes and shares, with commenters calling for Scrub Daddy teeth grills, Jibbitz and tattoos to complete the look.

4. Hold my Stanley cup

Stanley is a brand that’s been around for over a century but its recent rebrand has been responsible for one of the biggest crazes since the dawn of the internet. The oversized cups have been a big hit with mums and kids alike and its branded collabs, limited edition releases and influencer marketing strategies have all played a part in this brand’s products trending on social media. Stanley is now well known for its limited edition collaborative designs and the hype surrounding them.

In April of 2024, Scrub Daddy spilled onto the Stanley scene by releasing a new product of its own - a straw cleaner - and advertising its use on a cup with a very familiar shape. While the cup’s branding is covered by a Scrub Daddy smiley sticker, you don’t have to be a genius to see the resemblance to the trending Stanley cups. With almost 85k actions of engagement including 60.8k likes, 23.5k shares and comments calling for a Stanley x Scrub Daddy collab, hijacking this trend might have been the most genius move we’ve seen from Scrub Daddy so far…

5. Check out my Ring doorbell 

The buzz of video doorbell ownership has seen year-on-year growth since 2017, largely driven by the success of the brand Ring, and now 20% of US Internet Households own a video doorbell. Like a stranger showing up at your door, this trend is a social shift Scrub Daddy was not going to let slide by unnoticed.

Scrub Daddy wiped the recognisable elements of a video doorbell notification across an Instagram post. Is it charming or terrifying? Fans of the brand say they’d be happy to have Scrub Daddy show up at their doors, and with well over 10k engagement actions on the post, lots of people seem to agree!

6. The WICKedly talented Adele Dazeem

At the end of 2024, Wicked dominated the social commentary. Wicked’s marketing washed over the world, not only on social media but with merchandising in supermarkets, brand partnerships, TV appearances and more, all in service of promoting the release of the new Wicked film. Would Scrub Daddy be Scrub Daddy if it didn’t get in on the action?

As with many of Scrub Daddy’s Instagram posts, it's not totally clear to viewers whether this wickedly themed post is a collab or a parody, but that only adds to the soapy spell it casts. Speculation is all part of the magic. This post captures the essence of two of the central characters of the film, but in true Scrub Daddy form, its sponges take centre stage. Forget Glinda (or should we say Galinda?) floating in a bubble - that’s clearly meant for the washing up bowl!

But the absolute star of this post is the caption. It takes a jab at a hysterical Oscar moment that lives rent free in the minds of many. Back in 2014, John Travolta mispronounced the name of Idina Menzel - a name well known for performing in Wicked - as Adele Dazeem and the internet never forgot.

7. Spotify Wrapped

At the end of each year, Spotify Wrapped floods the screens of social media users everywhere. This annual ritual has been around for almost a decade from the most-used music streaming service there is. Every year it looks a little different, adopting different shapes and shades of colour, but it’s an extremely recognisable part of the social landscape and it trends every December.

What’s better than an opportunity to parody a trend? The opportunity to parody a trend every year! Scrub Daddy has successfully splashed around with the Spotify Wrapped trend a couple of times, while getting a downpour of engagement in the process. It turns out this trend isn’t easily worn out…

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