From the humble beginnings of Twitter, it seems hashtags for conversational purposes are now on a mission to take over the world, ensuring that somewhere along your busy day of internet browsing, watching television and even conversing with friends and family (Genuinely overheard on public transport: “OMG, did you see last week’s Take Me Out? Hashtag no likey no lighty!”) you will be exposed to hashtag culture.
Does it stand to reason then, that Birdseye are taking it to the next level, ensuring we physically consume hashtags in the form of these appetising looking and oh-so-cleverly named mashtags?
Gone are the days when a smiley face would suffice as the shape of the quick potato based accompaniment to your turkey twizzler and god forbid you opt for a practically stone age straight cut chip now. “Where’s the social media slant in this meal mum?” the kids will scream in their droves. Or rather, that’s what they’ll tweet to you because anyone born between 1996 and 2000 hasn’t used their voice box since 2011.
Is hashtag culture all getting a bit silly now? As a main player in social media language there is no doubt it has revolutionised online conversation and great things are happening with the aid of the symbol previously used only on phones and to signify “sharp” in musical terms. #CharityTuesday is just one example of pushing great causes via powerful hashtags. When we’re settled down for the evening however and the laptops, tablets and phones are set to one side, hashtags popping up on adverts, television programmes, clothing and now on our flippin’ dinner plates serve as constant triggers to our social presence. This pulls us back to the online world at times when it’s actually quite nice to be a little disconnected from the noise of social media.
It’s all a little too much to stomach. Much like I imagine Birdseye’s latest offering is.
