Move over, puppy ears. Snapchat's hottest filter is a dancing hot dog.
Since the messaging app added an augmented reality filter of the frankfurter, users can't seem to get enough.
Do you relish learning new information about this dancing hot dog? Relax, we're here to help you "ketchup" (last hot dog pun, I promise).
What is going on?
The hot dog is among several selfie filters available on Snapchat. You access them by pointing your phone's front-facing camera, then holding down the screen until a series of icons appear along the bottom. Some are special selfie filters, such as the popular puppy.
Others like the hot dog filter require you to use the rear-facing camera. In this case, the hot dog will appear in the real world, even interacting with real-life objects. For example, if I held out my hand where the hot dog appears, it would stick to my hand.
How did it start?
It would appear the birth of the hot dog meme traces back to this tweet from July 4th. The video shows the dancing hot dog being "taken away" by a child riding in a shopping cart. That tweet has more than 122,000 likes.
Thus, the love affair with the Snapchat hot dog began:
the hotdog dude on Snapchat will forever be my favorite. pic.twitter.com/CFfHpbvdpP
— keely (@peachysavv) July 7, 2017
Shower time, adderall, a glass of whiskey....and diesel jeans pic.twitter.com/2QdXdu757y
— Lil Sasquatch (@lilsasquatch66) July 8, 2017
I like the hotdog lens on Snapchat not gonna lie. pic.twitter.com/2wXsXZ3RKM
— Tristan Allen 💚 (@T_SWIZZLESWAG) July 6, 2017
Why is this so popular?
Remember Pokemon Go, the viral mobile game consuming nearly every smartphone owner last summer with the search for pocket monsters? One key reason for its popularity was watching the creatures pop up in weird places within your world.
Snapchat's hot dog is very similar. Because it's AR, you can view the hot dog in unusual places.
Also, it's an adorable dancing hot dog. Not sure how else to sell you on this.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.
