Viral Hooks
Trending short videosSubverting profanity for brand values
E

@elfyeah

TikTok · Speaker address

@elfyeah celebrity dog groomer 🐾 @Jess Rona gives an e.l.f. 👏 about being cruelty-free 💗 which is why she’s spreading the word about e.l.f. Beauty’s 4th Annual Impact Report and give an e.l.f. campaign 🫶 read the receipts at elfbeauty.com/impact #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #giveanelf

View original on TikTok

The edit1 shot · 11 text
Shots Text0:27

Performance

Views
3.2M
Likes
15.1K
Comments
296
Engagement
0.5%
Outlier
7.4×
Length · 5 Dec 2025
0:27

Video #15370 · Speaker address

Subverting profanity for brand valuesfrom @elfyeah

[01]

Overview

The video opens with a graphic that plays on a profane phrase, replacing it with the brand name 'e.l.f.'. A celebrity dog groomer then delivers a rapid-fire monologue, listing things she cares about—like creativity, making people laugh, and being cruelty-free—using 'give an e.l.f.' as a recurring phrase. She contrasts this with what she doesn't care about (grumpy people), using her dog as an example, before the video concludes with a final branded message.

[02]

Simple outline

  1. 1Establish clever wordplay
  2. 2List positive affirmations
  3. 3State contrasting negative
  4. 4Deliver final call-to-action

[03]

Related videos

[04]

Classification

Concepts
Brand ManifestoSurprise Reveal
Elements
Jump CutText OverlayB-Roll CutawayColor Blocking

[05]

Hook analysis

What stops the scroll in the first 3 seconds

Title hook · 55%

DON'T GIVE A

Verbal hook · 30%

I give so many.

Visual hook · 15%

A bold, high-contrast graphic with color blocking (orange, blue, pink) and large white text immediately grabs attention, followed by a quick cut to a perfectly groomed, fluffy white dog.

[06]

Hook template

Steal this for your own video

DON'T GIVE A [blank] ABOUT [audience fear] — I ONLY GIVE A [blank] ABOUT [brand value]

  • — DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT TRENDS — I ONLY GIVE A DAMN ABOUT RESULTS
  • — DON'T GIVE A THOUGHT ABOUT HATERS — I ONLY GIVE A THOUGHT ABOUT PROGRESS
  • — DON'T GIVE A MINUTE TO BURNOUT — I ONLY GIVE A MINUTE TO WHAT MATTERS

[07]

Hook and payoff

The promise the opener makes, and how the video pays it back

Hook

A bait-and-switch that replaces a common expletive with a brand-friendly, memorable phrase, creating immediate curiosity and setting the video's playful, edgy tone.

Payoff

A concise restatement of the core positive message, serving as a final brand reinforcement and a direct call to action.

[08]

Narrative framework

The structural pattern this video runs on

Framework

The Affirmation Pivot

A rapid-fire list of positive affirmations using a clever, brand-centric catchphrase, which is then broken by a single, contrasting negative statement for comedic effect, before concluding with a call to action.

  1. 1

    The Gimmick Reveal

    An initial visual and audio sequence (bleeped profanity transforming into the core phrase) that establishes the central wordplay and hooks the viewer.

  2. 2

    The Thesis Statement

    A brief declaration that sets up the forthcoming list, framing it as a series of things the speaker passionately cares about.

  3. 3

    The Affirmation Gauntlet

    A rapid succession of items that align with the positive side of the wordplay, establishing a rhythmic pattern and building a persona through a mix of personal and brand-aligned values.

  4. 4

    The Contrast Pivot

    A sudden break in the established pattern where the speaker uses the wordplay to state something they *don't* care about, creating a punchline through subverted expectations.

  5. 5

    The Visual Punchline

    A visual element that directly illustrates the negative statement, grounding the abstract concept in a concrete, often humorous, image.

Themes

  • Brand values
  • Animal welfare
  • Authenticity
  • Humor

Techniques

  • Wordplay
  • Jump cuts
  • Direct-to-camera monologue

Trends

  • Brand personification
  • Influencer marketing

Post caption

celebrity dog groomer 🐾 @Jess Rona gives an e.l.f. 👏 about being cruelty-free 💗 which is why she’s spreading the word about e.l.f. Beauty’s 4th Annual Impact Report and give an e.l.f. campaign 🫶 read the receipts at elfbeauty.com/impact #elfcosmetics #eyeslipsface #giveanelf

Text overlays

  • title · beginning

    DON'T GIVE A

  • title · beginning

    F#@&.

  • title · beginning

    GIVE AN e.l.f.

  • contextual · middle

    elf

  • informational · middle

    CREATIVITY.

  • informational · middle

    MAKING YOU LAUGH.

  • informational · middle

    CRUELTY FREE WORLD-WIDE.

  • informational · middle

    YAWNING.

  • informational · middle

    GRUMPY PEOPLE.

  • informational · end

    DOUBLE-CERTIFIED CRUELTY FREE?

  • title · end

    DON'T GIVE A F#@&. GIVE AN e.l.f.

Transcript

I give so many. I give an about creativity. I give an about making you laugh. I give an about cruelty free for every shmoo. I give an about, oh, yawning. I don't give an about grumpy people. Don't be like Mimo. Give an elf.