LibraryNowPlayMechanicsMCP

Kinds

Campaign420Product129Food & drink31App & software76Film95Series99Music86Game158Book63Creator moment69Meme & format147Trend & aesthetic46Activity63Moment145
PricingPrivacyTermsRefundsPress
Library/Meme & format/Coffin dance meme
Grade B18 sourcesHIS-01536

Coffin dance meme

Meme & format · 2020 · Viral

63Editable slideCertificate

Ghanaian pallbearers became a warning meme; an agency later reported a $1m NFT sale.

Original · Unknown editor; posted by @lawyer_ggmu

Benjamin Aidoo

@nanaotafrija · May 5, 2020

From NANA OTAFRIJA to all the doctors in the world 🌍 Thank you 👏🏻 Mention 👇🏻 all the doctors out there with your country flag. #COVIDー19 #CoffinMeme #benjaminaidoo #nanaotafrija #CoffinDance #Doctors http

53.3K779
Post · @nanaotafrija on X
Clip · BBC News Africa on YouTube
Clip · Vicetone on YouTube
Clip · VICE on YouTube
Benjamin Aidoo Of Ghana's Dancing Pallbearers Shares His Experience With Inspiring The Coffin Dance Meme
Know Your Meme / interview with Benjamin Aidoo
The True Story Behind Ghana’s Viral Coffin Dancers
VICE
Tony Igy
Variety
From NANA OTAFRIJA to all the doctors in the world 🌍 Thank you 👏🏻 Mention 👇🏻 all the doctors out there with your country flag. #COVIDー19 #CoffinMeme #benjaminaidoo #nanaotafrija #CoffinDance…
@nanaotafrija on X
Zlodei Agency (BADS) and Eugene Lapitsky sold the Coffin Dance meme at the NFT auction to support Ukraine
BADS Agency / PR Newswire
Ghana's dancing pallbearers - BBC Africa
BBC News Africa on YouTube
ASTRONOMIA - VICETONE / TONY IGY | EPDM
PROMUSICAE / El Portal de Música

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagionNo data yetBreadth70Velocity35Longevity8163

Numbers

Seed to milestone
9 weeks
Feb 26 ’20 to Apr 30 ’20
Platforms
6
Started on TikTok
Origin
Organic
Culture (no sector)

Mechanics

  • Remixable templatePrimary
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop
  • Political adoption

How it spread

Trace the origin

Users paired Ghanaian pallbearer footage with Astronomia, then attached it to fail clips. The format crossed platforms and became a stay-home warning. The soundtrack entered music charts; merchandise collaborations and a promoted NFT sale followed.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Google searchesDec ’19Mar ’20AprMayJunJulMar ’21OctJul ’22May ’23DecAug ’24MilestoneTikTokFacebookPressAudioXOpen web
TikTokFacebookPressAudioXOpen web

12 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (15)

  1. February 2020

    @lawyer_ggmu seed · Feb 26 ’20

    @lawyer_ggmu posted the earliest documented fail edit pairing the pallbearers with Astronomia.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. March 2020

    J e k y platform jump · Mar 20 ’20

    J e k y posted a Facebook edit using the dancing pallbearers as a fail-video punchline.[1]

  3. April 2020

    La Tercera press · Apr 4 ’20

    La Tercera explained the coffin meme and linked remixes circulating on Twitter.[2]

  1. commercial · Apr 16 ’20

  2. press · Apr 17 ’20

Join free to see the other 12 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

or continue with Google

Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 9 sourced numbers and 18 sources. Start with a free account.

Join freeGo Pro · $13/mo
Origin
Organic
Sector
Culture (no sector)
Region
Global
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

Meme & format · X · 201663

Mannequin Challenge

Twitter reported 2.3 million Mannequin Challenge hashtag mentions in one week.

60K derivatives

1 / 8

  • Mannequin Challenge
  • PhelpsFace
  • Chuck Norris facts
  • Dancing Theresa May / Maybot
  • Kevin James Smirking Meme
  • Cheerio Challenge
  • Usher’s Tiny Desk “Watch This”
  • Brat summer

New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.