‘Mannequin Challenge’ Quickly Becomes The Internet’s Latest Viral Video Craze

The Internet’s latest meme officially entered the mainstream lexicon this morning when Hillary Clinton posted a ‘Mannequin Challenge‘ video to her Twitter account touting the caption ‘Don’t Stand Still. Vote today’.

The Mannequin Challenge follows a long line of viral video trends — including the Harlem Shake, the Ice Bucket Challenge, and, most recently, Damn Daniel — which seem to emerge from the social abyss only to be co-opted, over time, by mainstream figures and marketers. Th Mannequin Challenge features a camera winding its way through a group of people in various scenarios who are frozen into place like statues. Many of the clips feature the song Black Beatles

The craze reportedly originated on October 26 when a group of high schoolers, led by a student named Emili, decided to pose in front of their teacher’s desk, according to The Guardian. Now, however, anybody who’s anybody has posted their own iteration — whether it be Adele, who opted for a Western-themed clip; the New York Giants, who provided a glimpse into their locker room; or Destiny’s Child, who reunited for the occasion on member Kelly Rowland’s Instagram account.

Over the past week, the Mannequin Challenge has been mentioned on Twitter a staggering 2.3 million times, reports The Guardian, though as the trend reaches peak velocity, it remains to be seen whether it will continue to snowball among the social media influencer set, or gradually slow to a freeze.