From Dubai To Viral: How One Chocolate Bar Took Over FoodTok

How viral videos on TikTok turned a luxury dessert into a global food trend.

Why Is Everyone Talking About This Chocolate?

FoodTok is a fast paced community where certain products can blow up over night and I'm sure no one has missed the viral dessert: Dubai Chocolate. I think we have all came across a dramatic video of a chocolate bar being broken in half to reveal pistachio cream and crispy layers. This phenomenon has generated millions of views and now other brands are making Dubai chocolate inspired drinks, snacks, and foods. This viral trend sparked curiosity and shortly after the trend went viral millions of consumers were on a hunt for this chocolate bar. The power of a short clip to sell a product around the world is quite impressive when all it takes is a satisfying video of a chocolate bar being broken in half.

Why This Trend Matters

The Dubai chocolate trend is clear proof of how powerful social media marketing is and how it can impact consumer behavior in real time. To the point were the advertising campaign doesn't need to come from a major international brand to be successful. Short clips on TIkTok displaying the chocolate bar for a few seconds was enough to create international demand, which is quite sensational.

I'm sure the restaurant and food brands are keeping an eye on TikTok trends and how they can create almost instant demand for a product without big marketing budgets. Viral trends like this truly show how marketing tactics change with the rise of social media and digitalization.

How Food Trends Used To Spread

Food trends have always been a thing, however they used to surface differently and slower than today. Before social media platforms, cooking shows, magazines, or restaurant critics were the main sources of food trends. Food Network and other online websites laid the base for what we considered trendy and popular within food.

Today, you don't have to be a food critic or chef to share or influence food content. Regular people with 9-5 jobs can share recipes and drive food trends in their free time. The short clips we see on TikTok are usually created by non famous people simply enjoying trying new foods and creating hype around viral products.

Why Is The Dubai Chocolate So Viral

The most common phenomenon to create hype around a product is the visual appeal. Majority of the viral food trends on TikTok involves a satisfying cheese pull or in this case a colorful creamy, gooey filling that certainly looks appetizing. Since the clips on TikTok are very short it's important to capture the consumer immediately. When more and more creators were trying this chocolate it made consumers eager to try since "everyone" must have tried it by now. Scarcity was also a main drive for this product. Stores and bakeries sold out fast and when consumers are struggling to find something it always makes them want it even more. This is a classic marketing tactic knowing that scarcity always influences the perceived value.

My Perspective

There is always a pattern for food trends that appear on TikTok, and the Dubai chocolate is a clear example of this predictable trend cycle. It starts off with a short clip of an appealing product, that gains traction at a rapid pace. Consumers that engage with this clip get curious and feel FOMO from not trying the product. The demand goes up for the product, and more creators feed into the trend. Suddenly there is thousands of clips on TikTok and stores are quick to stock the product. However, the longevity of a trend is hard to predict, which is usually the main challenge for businesses.

Final Thoughts

The viral Dubai chocolate is a perfect example of how powerful social media marketing has become and it's impact on food culture. TikTok is the hottest platform to promote your product due to the rapid spread of food trends. FoodTok creates opportunities for small businesses and being able to understand viral content can be the key to blowing up your product next.

Join The Discussion

Have you hopped on the Dubai chocolate trend?

Have TikTok ever influenced you to try or buy something?