07 December,2024 10:44 AM IST | Mumbai | Spandana Bhura
Veteran actress Neena Gupta plays the character of Ganji Chudail for YouTube’s latest campaign
Imagine a world where the very thing that's slowly eroding your focus is also the key to keeping you hooked. Interestingly, this isn't the plot of a dystopian sci-fi movie; it is a real life phenomenon that goes by the name "brain rot". For those just catching up, brain rot is Oxford Dictionary's 2024 Word of the Year, and is defined as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. It could also be something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration".
Unlike regular memes, brain rot content acknowledges their sheer silly, unhinged and mindless nature. While this phenomenon sounds like something to be avoided at all costs, in this world dominated by Big Data algorithms and social media, brain rot is actually becoming quite the secret weapon. Why?
In an era where scrolling is like an Olympic sport and attention spans are shorter than the length of a 60-second Instagram reel, brain rot has emerged as a legitimate marketing strategy.
Research conducted by Northeastern University, Boston, USA, stated that in 2004, humans could hold their focus for about two-and-a-half minutes. Twenty years later, in 2024, that number has plummeted to 45 seconds, thanks to the dopamine-fuelled buffet of short-form content. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube reward users with quick hits of gratification - a "like" here, a "notification" there - that create a craving similar to addictive behaviours.
Brain rot is real and it's here to stay," says Sahiba Bali, a marketing professional, actor, and a sports presenter. "For instance, in a master class I was conducting recently, I asked my students what the last reel they saw was or the last piece of digital content they viewed. To my surprise, none of them could recall anything. This proves that our memory has become extremely sensitive, and the sheer quantum of content we're forced to see daily is simply not sustainable."
A report by the Esya Centre, New Delhi shows that social media captures 89 per cent of online users daily, with the average user spending a jaw-dropping 194 minutes scrolling. Compare that to OTT platforms, which attract just 22 per cent of daily users for an average of 44 minutes. Clearly, we've traded slow, deliberate consumption for the endless dopamine loops of what Gen Z refer to as "doom scrolling".
Brands have slowly adapted to this brave new world by leaning into brain rot. "In the recent years, we've seen a rise in the acceptance of meme-based or "brain rot" marketing because it speaks the language of social media," says Ria Chopra, a content creator, writer and an individual with a background in marketing. "It's how people communicate now," she notes.
Take Duolingo, for example. Karandeep Singh Kapany, Regional Marketing Director of the language-learning app, highlights how they've embraced social media's influence. "Marketing for us is all about social media," he says. "For instance, during our "Learn English from Telugu" campaign, we commissioned a 62-foot hand-painted poster of our green owl mascot, Duo, dressed in traditional attire. We displayed it in Hyderabad, and the poster became an instant hit," he continues.
"Even with something traditional like this hoarding, the goal was to make it interesting enough for people to take pictures and share online," Kapany adds. The campaign's success wasn't just about visibility but also its shareability. "Social media lets us track performance in a cost-effective way, something traditional hoardings across cities can't offer."
Such efforts rely on creating content that resonates and prompts sharing. Kapany notes, "When someone shares content, they engage their brain and break the cycle of brain rot. Sharing signals deeper engagement because people think, âThis will resonate with my friend.'"
"Amul was doing memes long before memes even existed," laughs Rahul daCunha, Managing Director and Creative Head of daCunha Communications, the agency behind the iconic Amul ads that have been a key part of Indian popular culture for over sixty years.
"The last 15 years have seen social media become a massive platform for marketing" notes daCunha. "Before that, Amul's marketing relied mainly on hoardings and press. Now we do topicals only for social media - For instance, last year we created a topical based on the viral audio âlooking like a wow.' Since our topicals find a link with food, we played with the words and turned it into âcooking like a wow'."
daCunha shares that this particular project became a social media sensation and received tons of likes and engagement. However, this topical didn't make it to the hoardings because it was so specific to social media. "For our online audience, which is dominated by Gen Z and Millennials, it was a perfect fit, because it was a language that they understood".
He continues, "Embracing brain rot means acknowledging that brands need to speak the language of younger audiences, using the mediums they understand. For us, that means creating content specific to social media, like the âcooking like a wow' topical, the one we did around K-pop sensation BTS, or even the upcoming one, which is interestingly on brain rot! These are all internet-driven trends, and we use them specifically for social media marketing."
When it comes to social media content, Duolingo's marketing emphasizes the importance of being agile. "Take our most recent campaign around Dua Lipa's concert in India. Duolingo has a long-standing global campaign centred on the love story between Duo, and Dua Lipa, which is lore that we've always played with," says Kapany. "For her second visit to India this year, we had Duo dressed in a sherwani and arriving at the MMRDA grounds with band-baaja, alongside a cheesy wedding-style card with a red velvet background. Our audience absolutely loved it."
He continues, "Meme marketing is just one of the many things we do, but its effectiveness lies in relatability, especially among the youth. For social media marketing, timing is everything. For example, when Spotify Wrapped 2024 was released this week, we had a post ready to go immediately. Agility is key" he explains.
Understanding what constitutes "brain rot" is essential when discussing social media's influence. Dopamine-driven engagement isn't just about satisfying our craving for instant gratification - it has created a culture where anything, no matter how absurd, can go viral. Terms like "skibidi" (referring to something wildly nonsensical) and âOhio" (indicating something weird or embarrassing) have moved from being niche Internet jokes to mainstream language. These words aren't just fleeting trends; they are shaping the way people think, speak, and interact, proving that what happens online inevitably bleeds into the offline world.
In India, this phenomenon has found creative expression. A parody of the popular Arijit Singh song Oh Sajani Re from the movie Laapata Ladies demonstrates the concept. MemeMandir, an artist, reimagined this track as Oh Skibidi Re, replacing the original lyrics of the song with "brain rot" terms like "Skibidi," "Fanum tax" (used when one friend steals food from the other) and "Sigma" (someone popular). While the melody remains untouched, the lyrics are a playful nod to internet culture.
Another striking example of "brain rot" virality is Ganji Chudail, a green-skinned, bald, ghost-like character created by the YouTube channel Majedar Kahani. The character has gained massive traction on social media, with short story reels featuring Ganji Chudail becoming viral hits. Brands have also capitalised on this popularity. Beauty giant Nykaa collaborated with the character to promote its products.
YouTube India recently launched a campaign featuring veteran actress Neena Gupta as Ganji Chudail. This 70-second campaign video traces Ganji Chudail's transformation through different personas, including BRAT Chudail (dressed in âBRAT green,' a nod to Charli xcx's hit summer 2024 album), âKazual' Chudail (derived from the viral meme "baithne ka tarika thoda kazual [casual) hai"], Office Chudail, Snack Chudail, and is finally revealed as the Gen-Z Chudail.
Each iteration embraces language and aesthetics tied to brain rot culture, with words like "BRAT," "Kazual" and "snack" resonating with younger audiences who use these terms unironically.
In its absurdity and adaptability, brain rot culture reflects the evolving relationship between internet trends and real-world behaviour, marking a new era where digital language shapes everyday communication and branding.
The perception of brain rot as synonymous with "cringe" content is layered and particularly nuanced in the Indian context. Chopra highlights the example of singer Darshan, who went viral for his wholesome but also "cringe" song covers with him against bright greenscreen backdrops, to illustrate how even seemingly âlowbrow' content is resonating with audiences. "Interestingly, Darshan also received a shoutout from the lead singer of Maroon 5 at a recent concert, and this
proves the extent of his virality," Chopra notes.
However, the term "cringe" in India carries deeper connotations, often shaped by factors like class, caste, and linguistic dynamics. Chopra notes that content labelled as "cringe" frequently emerges from creators in marginalised or non-English-speaking communities, prompting critical questions about the biases underlying such judgments. Why is this label disproportionately applied to certain creators and contexts? This multifaceted conception of "cringe" invites a closer examination of cultural hierarchies in India's digital landscape.
"When it comes to marketing in India, you have to really understand your audience," says Bali. For instance, according to the Duolingo Language Report for 2024, India's linguistic diversity is reflected in everyday conversations, with 46 per cent of Indians frequently code-switching or shifting between languages mid-sentence. "Memes cater to a very specific percentage of our population. They're relatable, casual, and relevant, but they cannot be viewed as a mass phenomenon in the pan-Indian context because they do not necessarily cater to the country's diversity," continues Bali.
daCunha, however, sees potential in embracing the chaos. "Brain rot can coexist with intellect, and that's really interesting. We live in a world filled with negativity and toxicity, and brain rot offers a temporary escape."
194
No. of minutes the average user spends on social media
Source: Esya Centre
The infamous crying banana cat was one of the first of its kind to catch the attention of social media and brands alike
Darshan Magdum, who rose to fame after his viral cover of Blinding Lights by American artiste The Weeknd
Still from an episode of "Adventures of Pookie Baba" created by Instagram account @emoboisofindia on Anirudhacharya Ji Maharaj aka Gen Z's favourite Baba
10-year-old Benjamin Joby who went viral for delivering a motivational monologue, which the internet found amusing and said "he speaks Hindi
in cursive"
A still from the viral dystopian series of fast-paced YouTube videos and shorts "skibidi toilet" created by Alexey Gerasimov
The "I'm just a girl" meme
The "Chill Guy" meme that is currently viral
