- Dieunerst Collin grew to become a meme in 2013 after a clumsy encounter was filmed and posted on Vine.
- Collin grew to become generally known as “Popeyes Child” because the video came about within the fast-food institution.
- Now a soccer participant, he is been sponsored by the model after asking followers to tag them on social media.
A boy who grew to become an web meme in 2013 after a clumsy encounter in a Popeyes restaurant has grown as much as turn into a school soccer participant, and secured a sponsorship from the fast-food enterprise that made him well-known.
In August 2013, a creator named TheRealSnoopy uploaded a video to the now-defunct short-form video app Vine, wherein he filmed a boy who appeared confused and uncomfortable standing in a Popeyes. The add acquired over 19.2 million views and the individual featured within the video, whose actual identify is Dieunerst Collin, grew to become generally known as the “Popeyes child.”
The clip has since been adopted as each nonetheless photos and GIFs, and is commonly used as a response to recommend somebody is not sure about one thing, as a consequence of Collin’s facial features and physique language, as he darts his eyes in the direction of the digital camera in sideways glances.
On January 8, Jim Weber, host of the sports activities podcast “Misplaced Lettermen,” tweeted a nonetheless from the video together with a soccer profile of Collin, saying he was a freshman offensive lineman at Division II Lake Erie School. “If this man does not have an NIL deal by tomorrow, the Louisiana kitchen wants to scrub home on higher administration,” he wrote, referring to a contract wherein an athlete can obtain fee or merchandise from a model in alternate to be used of their identify, picture, and likeness.
That very same day, Collin quote-tweeted the submit, writing “SAID IT BEST” and tagging Popeyes’ Twitter account.
—Dieunerst Collin (@CollinDieunerst) January 8, 2023
Collin, who has over 71,000 followers on Instagram, shared a submit to his account on the identical day which confirmed a distinct side-by-side picture together with the unique meme, and Collin holding a soccer trophy. The caption learn, “I NEED EVERYONE TO REPOST THIS AND TAG @popeyes I JUST WANNA TALK BUISNESS.” The submit acquired over 49,000 likes.
Collin additionally posted a screenshot of his Instagram submit on Twitter and once more inspired followers to tag the restaurant. A number of feedback assisted Collin in his efforts. Amongst a lot of customers tagging Popeyes was the Twitter account of the restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings that wrote “do it for the vine” in a reply which acquired over 730 likes. On his Instagram submit, lots of the prime feedback additionally tagged Popeyes’ account.
On January 11, the official Popeyes Twitter account acknowledged the net marketing campaign by quote-tweeting Collin with the caption “Let’s get this bread(ing).”
The next day, Popeyes introduced a deal had been achieved in a tweet that stated, “Proud to welcome @CollinDieunerst to the fam.” The tweet additionally included a picture with the in-photo caption, “FROM MEMES TO DREAMS,” and within the backside right-hand nook stated they had been the “proud sponsor of Dieunerst Collin.”
—Popeyes (@Popeyes) January 12, 2023
Popeyes didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark, ESPN reported that Collin will promote the restaurant and be featured on a Popeyes billboard in New Jersey.
Talking with USA Right now, Collin stated, “Solely factor I can say is that I might be selling that enterprise like loopy,” and “I really love Popeyes myself.”
Collin didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
This is not the primary time an individual who discovered themself on the middle of a brand-related meme has parlayed viral success into knowledgeable alternative. In 2022, TikToker Nathan Apodaca was provided a visitor spot within the Hulu present “Reservation Canines,” after a video he filmed of himself ingesting cranberry juice whereas skateboarding and lip-syncing to Fleetwood Mac went viral.
In 2016, after a video of a teen hyping up his good friend Daniel Lara went viral, inserting specific emphasis on his footwear and coining the phrase “Rattling Daniel, again at it once more with the white Vans,” the shoe firm gifted Lara with a “lifetime provide” of Vans footwear throughout a phase on The Ellen DeGeneres Present.