Internet Trends 101: Hopecore
The hopecore movement, born online but now filtering into the broader cultural landscape – from TV and print media to branded content and gaming – has presented a distinctly 2023 take on positivity. In the first report of Pop Culture & Media’s new series on key internet trends, we examine what hopecore is, its relevance to brands and how it’s manifesting both on- and offline.
What is Hopecore?
#HopeCore Takes Off: TikTok’s Hopeful Edits & Positive Posters
Pragmatic Optimism: Hopecore Shines in News, Digital & Print Media, & TV
Interactive Hopecore: Video Games’ Collaborative Positivity
A rejection of pervading doomism, hopecore (the word “hope” plus the popular “-core” suffix, used to denote shared ideas regarding culture or aesthetics) began as a TikTok trend in late 2022. It promotes content that celebrates optimism and the beauty of life, offsetting toxic positivity (the annoyingly relentless push to always maintain a positive mindset) with a dose of internet-literate irony.
A rejection of pervading doomism, hopecore (the word “hope” plus the popular “-core” suffix, used to denote shared ideas regarding culture or aesthetics) began as a TikTok trend in late 2022. It promotes content that celebrates optimism and the beauty of life, offsetting toxic positivity (the annoyingly relentless push to always maintain a positive mindset) with a dose of internet-literate irony.
Summary
What is Hopecore? | A rejection of pervading doomism, hopecore (the word “hope” plus the popular “-core” suffix, used to denote shared ideas regarding culture or aesthetics) began as a TikTok trend in late 2022. It promotes content that celebrates optimism and the beauty of life, offsetting toxic positivity (the annoyingly relentless push to always maintain a positive mindset) with a dose of internet-literate irony. |
#HopeCore Takes Off: TikTok’s Hopeful Edits & Positive Posters | In Wunderman Thompson’s 2023 consumer study, 71% of people reported needing hope – a sentiment never previously expressed in its global surveys. TikTokkers are responding with #hopecore (1.4 billion views), doomscroll-banishing posts combining romantic aesthetics with quotes about philosophical hopefulness. We highlight some key players and trends within the trend keeping #hopecore hot online. |
Pragmatic Optimism: Hopecore Shines in News, Digital & Print Media, & TV | Hopecore is also taking root beyond the social media hashtag. From sardonically optimistic TV shows to news outlets helping readers find positive stories, a refreshingly pragmatic wellness platform and an opulent (print-based) celebration of climate optimism, hopecore is bringing audiences closer to a brighter take on their realities. |
Interactive Hopecore: Video Games’ Collaborative Positivity | Hopecore is also finding a foothold in co-operative video games that hinge on giving players a chance to contribute collectively as citizens (rather than competing as usual) to build more positive futures. Key upcoming releases include Nintendo’s Silent Hope foregrounding collaborative heroism, and Xbox’s Starfield – open-world gaming about exploration, discovery and shared humanity. |
Internet Trends 101: Hopecore
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Offering access to over 350 consumer and cross-industry reports annually, Stylus Membership is your window to tomorrow’s most exciting opportunities.
We already arm more than 500 of the world’s most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make transformative business decisions.
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