In the crowded world of viral sensations, few have exploded onto the scene quite like Hailey Welch, a.k.a. the Hawk Tuah Girl. With just one wild response during a street interview, Welch skyrocketed to viral fame, proving that sometimes all it takes is one line—and a dash of Southern sass—to get the internet buzzing. But here’s where things get interesting: what started as a laugh-out-loud moment has transformed into a viral marketing masterclass.
So, how did Hailey Welch flip a fleeting internet moment into a full-fledged brand? Let’s take a closer look at why Hawk Tuah Girl’s interview is a blueprint for anyone looking to turn their five seconds of fame into a long-lasting success story.
1. Unscripted Authenticity: The Secret Sauce of Viral Success
If there’s one thing you can’t fake in today’s digital landscape, it’s authenticity. Hailey’s viral moment wasn’t meticulously planned, and that’s exactly why it resonated with so many people. She wasn’t an influencer carefully crafting a moment for the camera. She was a regular person having a good time and delivering a hilariously honest response when put on the spot: “You gotta give him that hawk tuah and spit on that thang!”
Experts agree that viral content often thrives on spontaneity. Dr. Karen North, a professor of digital social media at USC, has stated that “People crave content that feels real and unfiltered because it cuts through the noise of overproduced, highly curated social media”. Welch’s unscripted answer struck a chord because it wasn’t manufactured—it was as real as it gets, and in a world where everyone seems to be vying for attention, her rawness was refreshing (Peoplemag)(VT).
2. Memes as Marketing: How the Internet Took Over
The power of memes cannot be overstated. Memes are the internet’s currency, and Welch’s hawk tuah moment was prime material. As soon as her phrase hit TikTok and other social media platforms, the internet got to work doing what it does best: remixing, recontextualizing, and spreading it far and wide. From remixes set to music to users inserting the phrase into random (and sometimes completely unrelated) scenarios, the hawk tuah phenomenon spread like wildfire.
Memes are not just about entertainment—they’re marketing tools that amplify a brand’s reach exponentially. Welch’s viral interview became the perfect meme template because it was unexpected and easy to replicate. It inspired participation, and when the internet joins in, you’ve officially gone from a viral moment to a viral movement. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, content that sparks meme culture has a 67% higher chance of going viral (VT).
3. Merchandising 101: Turning a Phrase into Profits
What separates those who just go viral from those who stay viral? The ability to monetize the moment. Welch turned her five seconds of fame into an empire of sorts, selling thousands of dollars worth of merchandise emblazoned with her signature phrase. According to Rolling Stone, Welch raked in over $65,000 in sales from her hawk tuah merchandise (Peoplemag).
This is where Welch’s viral moment becomes a masterclass in branding. She didn’t just rest on her viral laurels—she capitalized on it. By quickly launching a line of t-shirts, hats, and other merch, Welch ensured that her meme would live on, not just on the internet, but in people’s closets.
The lesson? Don’t wait too long to cash in on your moment. The internet has the attention span of a goldfish, so if you’re not fast, someone else will be.
4. The Power of Storytelling: From Meme to Mainstream
It’s easy to think that viral fame is fleeting, but Welch showed that a viral moment is just the beginning of the story. Once the internet had its fun with the hawk tuah meme, she kept the momentum going by leaning into the story of her rise to fame. Appearances on podcasts like Plan Bri Uncut helped humanize her beyond the meme, giving her the chance to tell her story in her own words (VT).
According to PR experts, successful viral stars often become even more famous when they pivot from “moment” to “narrative.” Welch didn’t let her viral fame define her; she used it as a platform to engage with a wider audience. The key here is longevity: Welch showed that you don’t just need a viral moment—you need to craft a lasting story around it.
5. Social Proof: Leveraging the Power of the Crowd
Welch’s viral interview didn’t just rely on her own fame—it also capitalized on the power of social proof. When you go viral, it’s not just about how many people saw your video. It’s about how many people shared it, talked about it, and remixed it. The more the internet kept playing with her phrase, the more it entrenched itself into the cultural zeitgeist.
In a world where people rely on what others are doing to decide what’s cool, Welch’s viral fame became self-sustaining. The more people bought into the hawk tuah hype, the more the hype grew. Social proof, according to marketing experts at HubSpot, is one of the most powerful forces in consumer behavior (VT). People didn’t just want to watch Welch—they wanted to be part of the movement.
Why Welch’s Interview Is a Case Study in Viral Mastery
Hailey Welch’s viral interview may have started as a hilarious one-liner, but it evolved into something far more powerful: a marketing masterclass. Welch showed us all how a single phrase can ignite a movement, generate memes, inspire merchandise, and ultimately transform a viral moment into a sustainable brand.
What sets Welch apart is that she understood one fundamental truth about viral fame: it’s not about the moment itself, but what you do with it. And with Welch, she’s clearly making the most of her hawk tuah moment.
So, next time you think your five seconds of fame are up, just remember—if you play your cards right, you might just be able to turn a quirky phrase into a marketing empire.
