Not every viral moment starts with a strategy.
Sometimes… it’s the weird ones that win.
In a world of carefully curated content, offbeat, low-fi, or downright chaotic posts often punch through the noise. Whether it’s unexpected humour, accidental brilliance, or perfectly timed internet nonsense, these five weird posts went viral—and taught us something in the process.
1. The "Bin Chicken" Post - NSW Goverment
Platform: Facebook
Yes, a government page went viral for calling the iconic Australian ibis a “bin chicken.” The post was full of tongue-in-cheek humour, irreverent tone, and surprisingly accurate facts. It racked up thousands of shares and proved government comms don’t have to be boring.
🎯 Why it worked:
- Hyper-local humour with broad appeal
- Surprising tone from an unlikely source
- Encouraged organic shares from Aussie pride (and shame)
💡 Lesson: Your audience wants a reason to like you. Give them personality—even if it’s weird.
2. Corn Kid – Recess Therapy / @doingthingsmedia
Platform: TikTok
A short, off-the-cuff interview with a kid who really loves corn turned into a cultural moment. His soundbite was remixed into songs, used in ads, and even celebrated by brands like Chipotle and Duolingo.
🎯 Why it worked:
- Authenticity and joy that can’t be scripted
- Simple, memeable format
- Easily remixable audio that spread fast
💡 Lesson: Viral moments often start with real people being themselves. Capture more reality.
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Get Started for FREE3. Scrub Daddy’s Mascot Goes Rogue – @scrubdaddy
Platform: TikTok
Scrub Daddy (yes, the sponge brand) embraced full chaos when their smiling mascot started doing thirst traps, lip-syncing to trending sounds, and picking fights in the comments. It’s weird. It’s unsettling. It absolutely exploded online.
🎯 Why it worked:
- Unexpected behaviour from a literal sponge
- Deep understanding of platform humour
- Bold, unfiltered tone of voice
💡 Lesson: Don’t be afraid to go full weird—especially if it makes people say “wait… what did I just watch?”
4. The Giant Zara Boxes – @zaracult
Platform: Instagram / TikTok
Zara’s new shipping packaging—comically large cardboard boxes for tiny items—sparked a wave of viral posts from confused customers. While unintentional, the absurd size mismatch became meme fodder and drew massive attention to their packaging practices.
🎯 Why it worked:
- Visually ridiculous and easy to parody
- Authentic UGC that built momentum
- Sparked cultural commentary around fashion & waste
💡 Lesson: Sometimes your audience makes the viral moment. Pay attention to what they’re posting, then lean in or respond quickly.
5. Popeyes’ “Emotional Support Chicken” Box
Platform: Twitter/X, In-Store Activation
Popeyes launched a holiday campaign packaging chicken tenders in an “emotional support animal” box. Tongue-in-cheek, mildly controversial, and totally viral—people posted airport pics and joked about eating their feelings. Popeyes handed them the punchline.
🎯 Why it worked:
- Real-world stunt turned digital moment
- Funny, visual, and slightly edgy
- Sparked a wave of UGC and press coverage
💡 Lesson: Viral content doesn’t always start on social—it just finishes there. Give people something to talk about offline, too.
The Bottom Line
Weird works when it’s intentional.
The posts that stand out don’t play it safe—they lean into a voice, take a risk, and often don’t look like traditional “good content.”
If you’re feeling stuck, try posting something that feels slightly unhinged. It might be the most human thing you’ve ever done on your brand account.
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