TikTok is the latest social media craze to become widely popular all around the world, particularly amongst the younger generations, who enjoy the quirky, on the go pace that the app operates at.
With short videos ranging from 15 seconds to 10 minutes, it certainly isn’t designed for long form entertainment, but that doesn’t stop it being engaging, entertaining, and oddly addictive.
However, keeping up with trends and abbreviations can be tricky – with one such example being ‘AS’.
But what exactly does ‘AS’ mean on TikTok, and what is it used to refer to?
What Is TikTok?
TikTok is a social media application that allows users to chat with their friends and contacts, as well as posting and viewing short user generated videos that people can interact with.
Generally speaking, trends on TikTok tend to focus around miming, dancing, fashion trends, music and media fan posts, as well as pranks and other common online video themes.
What Does ‘AS’ Mean?
For the uninitiated, it can be hard to keep up with all the abbreviations and trends that take hold on TikTok – and you only have to be offline for a week to be completely lost.
One common abbreviation on TikTok is ‘AS’, which actually refers to Adult Swim – an adult-oriented nighttime cable network channel that is essentially the adult version of Cartoon Network.
The channel is incredibly popular, and has become something of a trending topic throughout the TikTok world.
Many people might be aware of Adult Swim thanks to popular cartoon shows such as Robot Chicken and Rick And Morty, so it was only a matter of time before this taboo-busting, maverick channel found its way onto TikTok.
Why Has Adult Swim Trended?
Many people pay homage to Adult Swim’s ‘bumps’ or ‘bumpers’, which used to play before and after Adult Swim shows in the early days of the channel.
By tagging Adult Swim in the post, these TikTok creators can interact with the channel, and have the channel react to their work – even resulting in follows and shares if it gets sufficient attention.
What Do These ‘Bumpers’ Consist Of?
The Adult Swim ‘bumpers’ are essentially inventive and quirky advertisements for the network that would appear before, during, and after Adult S wim shows.
These could involve anything – be it animation, live action skits etc. – and the purpose of the trend on TikTok is to encourage people to use their imaginations and humor to create their own take on these bumps.
Why Does Adult Swim Encourage This?
There are of course many reasons why an edgy and exciting network channel like Adult Swim might actively encourage this kind of thing.
Publicity
Firstly, it is a great source of free publicity for the channel, which can then be seen by people who are not regular viewers, or who have even never heard of the website at all.
Interaction
It is also a good way for the company to develop a relationship with their fanbase – something that can go a long way to securing lifelong fans that feel connected to the channel and their shows.
Community
It is also a good way of creating something of a community on TikTok, bringing like minded people together in their love for Adult Swim and their content.
Humor
As a comedy channel aimed at adult humor, Adult Swim also probably find the whole thing amusing on some level, and enjoy the creative videos TikTok creators make to advertise their channel.
Why Is TikTok So Special?
The whole purpose of TikTok is to use your smartphone to create short videos that can be shared amongst your friends, followers, and (if successful enough) the world.
This means that you do not need expensive camera equipment to make something great, and in fact the app has really stretched the imaginations and expectations of what video making really is – in a sense taking it back to the basics of filmmaking.
How Do TikTok Trends Occur?
Generally speaking, there are various traits that all trending TikTok videos share – and this shared sense of appeal and understandability is paramount to turn a video from a simple short into a viral sensation.
Broad Appeal
Firstly, they generally need to be broadly appealing, or at the very least be a reference to something that plenty of people are aware of.
One example could be the much loved ‘Wednesday Addams dance’, which began as a dance segment performed by actress Jenna Ortega on the show Wednesday, but which was then mimicked and spoofed countless times by people on TikTok – usually to the song ‘Goo Goo Muck’ by The Cramps.
Simplicity
The video also has to have a sense of simplicity that people can easily access all around the world.
This means that, generally speaking, you need to focus on humor that is widely understood and universal – be it slapstick, media-related topics, or ‘fails’.
Large Followings
Most viral TikTok videos begin as a result of content creators having large followings of fans.
This means that the videos get shared way more than normal, and that fans are more likely to emulate their celebrity/influencer idol to show their support or kinship.
Reactive
TikTok trends are also generally reactive to one thing or another. This could be a funny sign on a street, an existing viral celebrity moment, or indeed strange and weird daily occurrences.
Final Thoughts
And there we have it, everything you need to know about TikTok, and what exactly ‘AS’ means on the site.
It’s true that TikTok has changed the way people consume their entertainment through social media, taking an idea similar to YouTube and streamlining it for a more modern, on the go generation.
However, it can be hard to keep up with online trends, not to mention all the abbreviations and hashtags, which is why guides like this one can be life savers!
Hi, I’m Matt Johnson, and I work as a Digital Marketer. I started out as a PR assistant for a publishing company, and I quickly learned how important digital platforms are for marketing in the modern world.
This is why I started EngageDigital.com, to offer you a behind the scenes look at all of the most popular sites, applications and platforms, from Amazon to Snapchat, Venmo accounts, Instagram, NFTs, to Omegle and Tik Tok.
If you are looking for informative guides about using social media platforms, troubleshooting your devices, gaming, online shopping, and more, I hope to provide all of the answers you need here at EngageDigital.com!
