As the creator industry has grown, a predictable pattern has emerged for viral video stars: They blow up thanks to a single memetic upload, inspire a wave of responses and remixes, hit a talk show or two, and nab some brand deals.
Then, as soon as it all began, it’s over. The internet is filled with creators who have experienced their 15 minutes of fame, and most of those sudden stars quickly fade into obscurity (until their viral hit inspires something bigger years later).
But Hailey Welch is doing something different. The creator of the inescapable Hawk Tuah meme is not fading away. In fact, her social media presence only seems to be growing.
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Four months after uttering her infamous catchphrase during an on-the-street interview in Nashville, Welch has become a bonafide star, and it looks like she has some staying power, too. Her new podcast Talk Tuah ranks #11 on the Spotify charts (at the time of this post), she has made her streaming debut on Kick, and she’s landed multiple merch collabs that will expand and monetize the Hawk Tuah phenomenon.
Welch’s 15 minutes were supposed to be up already, but she’s not going away. What makes her different from the viral video stars who came before her?
Before we offer some potential answers to that question, let’s take a trip through the pop culture empire Hawk Tuah has become. Welch’s catchphrase is showing up in ads, generating one thinkpiece after another, and bringing joy to election season. As her star continues to shine, the Tennesse native is rolling out weekly episodes of a punnily-titled podcast that is already one of the biggest things on the internet.
But Talk Tuah is just the tip of the iceberg. Welch was Kick’s guest of honor at the Dreamhack Atlanta convention, where she officially launched her streaming career. She has brought official Hawk Tuah apparel to 670 Spencer’s stores thanks to a deal with Killer Merch, and she has signed off on an official costume sold via Spirit Halloween. As for more direct revenue streams, Welch is monetizing the Hawk Tuah fad via the subscription platform Fanfix.
“From our first chat with Hailey Welch’s team on June 27th — before she even started her Instagram — to her store’s launch with new designs by July 3rd, we knew this was a big moment for her,” Killer Merch Business Development Manager Stefan Toler told Tubefilter. “We saw a huge chance for fast growth and were honored to help Hailey build her brand from scratch.”
Welch’s upward trajectory has been boosted by her pact with management firm The Penthouse, which signed her to a representation deal in July. She’s since built a personal brand called 16 Minutes; the name is a reminder that Welch is not satisfied with a quarter-hour of fame.
“We are very proud of Haliey and her ability to connect globally,” The Penthouse’s Jonnie Forster told Tubefilter. “At the heart of it all, people needed a laugh. Her few seconds on the original viral clip spawned vast communities to create derivative UGC by the thousands racking up over 50 billion impressions worldwide and growing. She has transcended into the global zeitgeist on a scale of which we’ve never seen.”
The hilarity of Welch’s catchphrase helps explain her longevity, but it’s not the whole answer. There’s something about the phrase “hawk tuah” that makes it infinitely memeable. The secret may be the words themselves, which are short and simple enough to deliver puns and wordplay (like in the name of Welch’s Talk Tuah podcast).
Welch’s upbringing is relevant here as well. She’s bringing small town character and a Tennessee twang to a scene dominated by coastal creators like Alex Cooper and Alix Earle. In comparison to them, Welch’s background is more relatable for millions of Americans, and she’s making her values a central part of her brand. She has attached her name to an organization called Paws Across America, which advocates for animal charities across the U.S. It was launched in tandem with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in Welch’s stomping grounds.
There’s a lot of potential explanations for Welch’s sustained run of success, and all of the aforementioned factors have likely contributed to her ascent. I would say that Hawk Tuah has become the most famous reference to fellatio in American history, but a guy with the nickname Deep Throat did take down the president in the 70s. Welch will have to aim even higher if she wants to earn that distinction for herself, but she has all the support she needs to continue her meteoric rise.
