Poppy? Illuminati? Viral marketing?
February 10, 2017 10:28 PM Subscribe
Does anyone have insight into the Poppy video mania sweeping the middle schools?
A 8 year old child I know came up to me talking about some videos that scared him that featured this "Poppy" girl. I watched a few, and they are genuinely disturbing. She looks to be about 15, maybe CGI, kinda creepypasta, and I'm hoping it's some viral marketing for a movie or something. I'm old. Does anyone know what the hell this is? Here's an example.
A 8 year old child I know came up to me talking about some videos that scared him that featured this "Poppy" girl. I watched a few, and they are genuinely disturbing. She looks to be about 15, maybe CGI, kinda creepypasta, and I'm hoping it's some viral marketing for a movie or something. I'm old. Does anyone know what the hell this is? Here's an example.
Response by poster: Oh. Ha. Well, She's building a cult of 10 year-olds. I would be more scared, but Trump.
posted by thebrokedown at 10:46 PM on February 10, 2017
posted by thebrokedown at 10:46 PM on February 10, 2017
Poppy is someone playing games about ILLUMINATI CONTROL ALL POP MUSIC!!!!1!!1!! conspiracy theories. As far as I can tell Poppy is mostly viral marketing for Poppy, and all the creepiness is quite intentional.
Oh, and Five Nights at Freddy's is a horror video game.
posted by egypturnash at 11:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]
Oh, and Five Nights at Freddy's is a horror video game.
posted by egypturnash at 11:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]
The Kids React Channel children got her number pretty much right away.
posted by bartleby at 2:42 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by bartleby at 2:42 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]
Those kids behind bartleby's link are amazing.
Poppy looks to me about as much like Elsa of Frozen as a real human could w/o plastic surgery.
Somehow I think this is about the second self of social media and taking that self back from Facebook et al. and getting some degree of control over it -- which would be a very good thing if it turns out to be possible.
posted by jamjam at 11:07 AM on February 11, 2017
Poppy looks to me about as much like Elsa of Frozen as a real human could w/o plastic surgery.
Somehow I think this is about the second self of social media and taking that self back from Facebook et al. and getting some degree of control over it -- which would be a very good thing if it turns out to be possible.
posted by jamjam at 11:07 AM on February 11, 2017
Neat. I hadn't heard of That Poppy before, so I'm glad to have come across the question. She's seemingly drawing on the same sorts of influences as artists like Mark Ryden have been doing for a while, but bringing that tone into social media rather than the more traditional arts. The girl in the Kids React video that thought of K-Pop is pretty close to the mark too, but with the difference of That Poppy providing a strong feeling of dissonance to similar outward expression.
That kids are finding it of interest isn't entirely surprising since it does draw on some of the darker childhood impulses or memories to build its effect. That Poppy uses a minimal affect persona while addressing seemingly "childish" interests, worries, or questions, like speaking to the plant or worry about being left alone. She keeps her tone relatively uninflected, maintaining the same speech patterns and emotional cues regardless of situation, which provides some of the creepiness the kids are reacting to along with the music and minimal staging, of the pieces. The lack of emotional cues combined with her almost immaculate appearance, also slightly childish or doll like in form creates a disconcerting feel of extreme care but of absent motivation or authority guiding the events, perhaps as if a doll gained consciousness in the absence of an owner and sought to make sense of its limited environment and abilities, yet while also seeming that That Poppy isn't feigning dollness or putting on a happy act like K-Pop stars often do. It's strengths come from severing the social attitudes towards childhood from some of the concerns of youth, which is unsettling due to the darker aspects of childhood concerns that are often covered over.
That's a hot take on just viewing some of the linked clips, not anything more studied and would surely be improved by more examination and reflection.
posted by gusottertrout at 2:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]
That kids are finding it of interest isn't entirely surprising since it does draw on some of the darker childhood impulses or memories to build its effect. That Poppy uses a minimal affect persona while addressing seemingly "childish" interests, worries, or questions, like speaking to the plant or worry about being left alone. She keeps her tone relatively uninflected, maintaining the same speech patterns and emotional cues regardless of situation, which provides some of the creepiness the kids are reacting to along with the music and minimal staging, of the pieces. The lack of emotional cues combined with her almost immaculate appearance, also slightly childish or doll like in form creates a disconcerting feel of extreme care but of absent motivation or authority guiding the events, perhaps as if a doll gained consciousness in the absence of an owner and sought to make sense of its limited environment and abilities, yet while also seeming that That Poppy isn't feigning dollness or putting on a happy act like K-Pop stars often do. It's strengths come from severing the social attitudes towards childhood from some of the concerns of youth, which is unsettling due to the darker aspects of childhood concerns that are often covered over.
That's a hot take on just viewing some of the linked clips, not anything more studied and would surely be improved by more examination and reflection.
posted by gusottertrout at 2:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]
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posted by nicolas léonard sadi carnot at 10:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]