Giving a F*ck

The abbreviation of ‘I don’t give a f*ck’ isn’t new; it was immortalised by Dua Lipa in her 2018 song. But ‘idgaf wars’, between two or more people on social channels, has taken the term in a new direction and feels like it summarises how a lot of people feel right now.

According to Urban Dictionary, “idgaf wars happen once things become awkward between you and an ex/friend and you/or them pretend not to care for each other by avoiding each other and conversation, although you both acknowledge how each other is doing and what they are doing.”

A commonly cited example is when two people are dating and they hold out for the other person to message first. But it has also been used to capture how well a celebrity is faring versus others (see: Kim Cattrall of Sex and the City fame picking up a huge check for a cameo on And Just Like That).

Unlike most modern pop culture moments, it has lasted way longer than a few weeks and shows no signs of abating, which indicates it has tapped into something deeper than a standard meme.

What’s the takeout for brands?

If losing an #idgaf war is the modern way of saying you don’t care, brands can create campaigns that show fans ironically saying they don’t care when it’s clear that they really do.

Or flip the trend on its head by running campaign where people tell each what they do give a f*ck about', weaving in the brands message.

At the end of the day, everyone gives a f*ck about something.