The Mannequin Challenge is the newest viral video sensation since the running man challenge. Unlike the running man challenge, which involved dance moves, The mannequin challenge makes all participants stand completely still, like a mannequin.

Student Emily Mugrove talks about why she thinks viral videos are popular with millennials.

“It’s just something fun to do that you can ba a part of,” says Musgrove.

What exactly is a viral video sensation though?

“A viral sensation is when that video turns into something else and becomes a movement of sorts across the web,” says Ph.D Nsenga Burton, UGA Professor and Digital Editor in Chief for Grady Newsource.

UGA Assistant Advertising and Public Relations Professor Joe Phua thinks viral videos become popular for a different reason.

“There’s a theoretical concept as well as multiple studies that people tend to share content that they feel makes themselves look better,” says Phua.

Even before the running man challenge took over the internet, the harlem shake was the most popular viral video sensation on the web.

The Georgia Football team even put their own spin on the harlem shake three years ago. More recently, the Georgia Baseball team did their own mannequin challenge during fall practice.

Viral videos are very common, but does anyone really know what it takes for a video to go viral?

“I don’t know, it’s kind of hard to say what’s going to go viral,” says Musgrove.

“They touch on a particular trend at that particular moment in time,” says Phua.

People may have different opinions on why something goes viral, but no matter what it is that we think makes a video go viral, experts say that with the growth and popularity of social media, viral video sensations will be around for years to come.

The broadcast version of the story is below:

By: Kendall Meissner