Usually, when we write about social TV, we discuss innovative ways in which brands and networks use broadcasts to interact with audiences. Rarely is the relationship reversed – where unprompted audience use of social media elicits results on broadcasts. One such example is the viral sensation Terio – also known as “Little Cuzzin Terio” – a bonafide Vine star, whose dance moves have rocked the 6-second video social network throughout the second half of 2013.
A “best-of” compilation has already received over a million views on YouTube.
NBA and NFL stars are recreating Terio’s dances in pre-game warmups and touchdown and sack celebrations. In the below clip, a SportsCenter anchor works in “Oh, kill ‘em” (a phrase often used by Terio’s cousin, the videographer) into Top Plays. Curious audiences who see athletes copy these moves invariably look up the dances and come across Terio’s Vines.
As Vine and Instagram stars become more ubiquitous they, as opposed to networks, will begin to control more of the social TV conversation