What Does "El Gato" Mean on TikTok?

If you‘ve been on TikTok lately, you may have encountered a feline phenomenon—videos and comments proclaiming "ELL GATOOOOOO" paired with crying/laughing emoji. This viral meme actually has deeper origins than you might expect. Let‘s break down exactly what "El Gato" means on TikTok and how a simple mistake sparked an entire movement.

The Anime Origins of El Gato

First, it helps to understand the original Japanese cultural context. "El Gato" which translates to "the cat" in Spanish, comes directly from the popular anime series Demon Slayer.

In a climactic scene, a character named Suma says "arigato" (the Japanese word for "thank you") while crying. But to many American ears, her accented pronunciation sounded almost identical to the Spanish words "el gato."

The Path from Obscure Anime to Viral Meme

So how did this obscure reference catch fire so rapidly on TikTok? Demon Slayer currently ranks as one of the most popular anime worldwide, with over 150 million copies of its manga in circulation. References to the series permeate fan culture.

Within this engaged community, TikTok users latched onto Suma‘s unintentional “el gato” as the basis for an ironic inside joke. They recognized the humor in her emotional "thank you" being misheard as a random Spanish phrase.

By the Numbers: The Meteoritic Rise of El Gato

As a social media marketer, studying the data behind viral phenomena reveals key insights. Let‘s analyze the growth of the “El Gato” meme:

Originated in an episode airing in October 2021
First widely used on TikTok starting April 2022
Over 130 million views of the hashtag #elgato as of August 2022
The official TikTok filter has been used in over 75,000 videos

This rapid escalation demonstrates the power of TikTok to catapult niche concepts into widespread meme status through community participation.

Breaking Down the El Gato Trend on TikTok

Visual and Auditory Callbacks

Videos labeled #elgato on TikTok often contain telling common elements:

An audio clip of Suma‘s misinterpreted “thank you” from Demon Slayer
Crying/laughing emoji comments of “ELL GATOOOOOO”
An orange cartoon cat resembling Puss in Boots from the Shrek movies

The juxtaposition of these auditory and visual components ties back to the original context while adding layers of meaning. The Puss in Boots character provides an easily recognizable pop culture cat association. Using him alongside the emotional audio and captions pokes fun at the absurdity of mistakenly shouting “THE CAT!”

Meme Culture Through Repetition and Remixing

Once a certain meme template gains traction, participating in the trend drives engagement through collective creation. Users demonstrate their insider knowledge by remixing and reproducing the “El Gato” format across different videos.

Commenting “ELL GATOOOOOO” on arbitrary videos with the recognizable cat sticker links back to the anime reference while signaling group belonging. As users recreate and spread variations of the meme, it gains momentum rapidly.

Brands Jump on the Cat Meme Bandwagon

Savvy social media marketers keep a pulse on rising trending topics to leverage viral potential. Unsurprisingly, brands have begun referencing “El Gato” in their own content, relying on trend familiarity to drive likes and follows.

For example, the VTuber agency PRISM Project created a video announcing auditions for Spanish-speaking clients using the meme, racking up over 67,000 views. Brands like Chipotle have also used the hashtag when featuring a product with cats on it.

By tapping into pop culture moments, marketers can craft resonant and on-brand content with broader appeal. The adaptable nature of the “El Gato” meme provides a fun interactive opportunity without much barrier to entry.

The TikTok Formula: Virality and Participation

The “El Gato” case exemplifies much about how memes explode on TikTok specifically. While many references gain little traction, certain concepts achieve viral lift-off through the right balance of:

Source material familiar to a passionate niche (e.g. anime fandom)
An accessible “hook” that lends itself to participation (e.g. mocking a mispronunciation)
Replayable audio/visual signals allowing easy reproduction (e.g. a memorable voice line + cat emoji)

Once a meme gathers momentum among engaged communities, it spreads more widely as people seek to partake in the visible phenomenon. Users not only view meme content but also perpetuate the trend by creating their own related videos.

This collective participation rapidly amplifies niche concepts into far-reaching cultural touchstones. While social platforms like TikTok will keep churning out ephemeral trends, marketers should study these viral factors that make an meme truly take off.