People, places, and moments made famous by the Internet

People, places, and moments made famous by the Internet

As 2012 comes to an end, we take a look back at the increasing reach of the web

BY CHIDI NWOSU

Nowadays, social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ serve not only as a means for entertaining the masses, they’re also excellent ways to market oneself — whether intentionally or not.

Here’s a recap of 10 Internet sensations that recently came off the web:

PSY: GANGNAM STYLE

(Via: koreabang.com)

With 805 million views, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” has become one of the most viewed YouTube videos ever, beating the previous recorder holder — Justin Bieber’s “Baby” — by 2 million (and counting) and making it into the Guinness World Records books. What’s incredible is the fact that the talented Korean singer/songwriter made the popular video in just two days — purposely being silly in it in hopes of bringing up the spirits of the viewers.

After the video went viral, Psy was signed to Schoolboy Records, the same music label that represents Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepson. He has also since appeared on many shows, including The Ellen DeGeneres Show , Extra , The Today Show , and Saturday Night Live .

KONY 2012

(Via: thehollywoodgossip.com)

KONY 2012 went viral faster than most videos. Made by the organization Invisible Children Inc., it campaigned for the arrest of the African warlord Joseph Kony, who uses children as soldiers and sex slaves. The video struck a nerve with the global audience, and received over 70 million views within a week of its release.

In addition to being seen on Internet video outlets like YouTube and Vimeo, KONY 2012 was also featured on NPR, the Huffington Post, Washington Post, and the Telegraph.

Zeddie Watkins Little: Most Photogenic Man

(Via: mentalfloss.com)

Could you imagine going out for a run and instantly becoming an overnight Internet sensation? Well, that’s what happened to Zeddie Watkins Little. He was participating in a 10k run in his home city of Charleston, South Carolina, when this picture was taken. The image went viral after the amateur photographer, Will King, posted it on Reddit with a caption suggesting that Little was the most photogenic man in the world.

Watkins, a 25 year-old inspired PR publicist, has received countless marriage proposals over Facebook and his face has since appeared over 1.25 million time on Flickr alone! If Watkins was having trouble looking for a placement in PR, I’m pretty sure he has many offers now!

Carly Rae Jepsen

(Via: popdirt.com)

Carly Rae Jepsen has stated that she owes much of her international stardom to fellow Canadian, Justin Bieber. After all, the 27-year-old Canadian recording artist and songwriter from Mission, British Columbia, was already fairly well known in Canada, having placed third in the 2007 season of Canadian Idol, followed by an album release in 2008. But it wasn’t until the Biebs tweeted out a link to her video “Call me, maybe” did the rest of the world learn her name.

Her success grew as her song went viral, and Jepsen was eventually signed to a major record label, Interscope, in 2012. Today, her international fan-base anxiously awaits what she has in store next.

The Vancouver Kiss

(Via: dailymail.co.uk)

Who doesn’t remember this iconic photo? Arguably as well-known as the V-J Day kiss, this photo of Scott Jones and girlfriend Alex Thomas came after the two were knocked over by the police at a riot following Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Thomas was too terrified to move and Jones comforted her with a kiss. It was at this moment that photographer Richard Lam captured the couple in embrace.

Once posted online, the image became an instant Internet sensation around the world. In 2011, it was named Esquire Magazine ’s photo of the year, and the couple has since made it onto shows like the Today Show , CBC News, and more.

Sophia Grace and Rosie

Sophia Grace Brownlee and Rosie Grace McClelland, cousins from Essex, London, were first spotted on YouTube site singing Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass.” Sophia Grace, the singer, and Rosie, who is considered more of the hype girl, stole many American hearts when their video went viral. They eventually were offered the opportunity to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show , where they performed Super Bass in front of Nicki Minaj and a live audience. Since then, the girls have performed on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show countless times as well as interviewed many of their favorite celebrities, including Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and, of course, Nicki Minaj.

Gotye

Gotye, a Belgian-Australian indie pop and experimental singer / songwriter, became an Internet celebrity in 2012 for his song, “Somebody That I Used to Know.” It gathered over 350 million YouTube views and during the height of its popularity, when it reached number one on the U.S. Billboard chart, download sales that week increased by 542,000, making that week alone the fourth biggest weekly sales since 2003.

As a result of its popularity, the song was named one of the biggest selling singles in 2012.

TNT Marketing Stunt

(Via: creativeguerillamarketing.com)

Who wants more drama in their life? Well, the quiet square in the middle of Flanders in Belgium obviously did. To promote their new channel on Belgium TV, TNT came up with the idea of placing a red button in the middle of the square with a sign that read “Push to add drama.” Once the button was pushed, the square was filled with chaos and calamity.

The stunt, created by TNT and their advertising agency, Duval Guillaume, was a massive success, with video of the event becoming the second-most shared advertisement of all time: it accrued more than 10 million views within a week.

Ted Williams

(Via: eurweb.com)

Ted Williams is known as the “Homeless Man with the Golden Voice.” Why is that? Well, he was gifted with a radio voice that was once used in commercials or late night radio shows. He fell on hard times, lost his job, but regained attention while homeless on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. That’s when a news reporter, stopped at a red light, interviewed Williams from the window of his car. During the interview, Williams was asked to demonstrate his self-appointed “golden voice.” Shortly after video of the interview was posted online, it went viral. Since then, the Golden-Voiced Homeless Man has received many job offers. He released his life story, “A Golden Voice,” in May, and is currently doing voiceover work with the TV show Entertainment Tonight .

Antoine Dodson

(Via: gawker.com)

Antoine Dodson became an Internet celebrity after giving an interview with a local TV news station based on the report of a house invasion and attempted rape of his sister, Kelly Dodson. While the subject was serious, the interview was hilarious. Music group The Gregory Brothers auto-tuned the interview into a song and it sold thousands of copies on iTunes — even showing up on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.

Dodson capitalized on the popularity of the song. He began his own line of t-shirts and merchandise, and even created a line of Halloween costume based on his fiery and flamboyant style. What’s more, he was also featured on Tosh.O , and has since filmed a reality show that he is now trying to sell to networks. ■