What’s the Shelf Life of Social Media Trends?

Social media trends are fleeting. Blink and you’ll miss them.

So goes conventional wisdom — and the stress that drives many social teams to jump in immediately before a meme, audio clip or format disappears from the algorithm entirely.

But what if the shelf life of a social media trend was longer than we think?

In January 2025, IKEA Sweden rolled out a campaign that made an extreme case for slower timing and smarter execution. The “Better Late Than Never” initiative introduced a new loyalty points system for IKEA Family members. But what gained all the buzz was how they did it.

Employees took on viral challenges that hadn’t trended in years: the Harlem Shake, the Mannequin Challenge, and the Bottle Flip Challenge. All peak mid-2010s content. All firmly in the rearview mirror, until now.

So, why did it work?

Leaning into Timing, Not Racing Against It

The campaign didn’t try to pass these trends off as current. It embraced the fact that they were old. The tone was cheeky, self-aware, and full of nostalgia.

Not every brand or social team is built for meme-speed content, but if you can’t jump on a trend right away, that doesn’t mean your window has closed. IKEA’s campaign is proof that taking your time can work better — especially when it comes with a wink.

The iconic challenges IKEA revived are deeply embedded in internet memory. While not all trends have equal staying power, with the right positioning, older trends just might come to life again, even if your brand missed the first surge of popularity.