TikTok is known for its fun and creative trends that go viral. If you are an avid user of TikTok, you may have noticed several videos using the term [AS] – both in the hashtags and in the videos themselves. 

The [AS] trend has gotten TikTokers to unlock their creative juices. But what does [AS] stand for, and what is the trend all about? Let’s find out!

What Does [AS] Mean on TikTok? 

[AS] is a new and creative trend that has taken TikTok by the storm. It stands for “Adult Swim” and is aimed at recreating Adult Swim’s iconic bumpers or “bumps.” 

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Still confused? Don’t worry, you are not the only one!

Adult Swim is a series of late night programs that were aired between 8 PM to 6 AM by Cartoon Network, aimed at a more adult audience. This late night programming block debuted in 2001 and aired shows such as Rick and Morty, The Eric Andre Show, Bob’s Burgers, and Family Guy, among many others – shows that typically contained “adult” language, graphic violence, and/ or sexual themes. Following its success, Adult Swim branched off from Cartoon Network and became a separate channel.

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The [AS] TikTok trend, however, was not inspired by this late night session itself. Instead, it was inspired by the weird, funny, random, and sometimes wholesome bumpers or “bumps” Cartoon Network used to air before or after the ad breaks during Adult Swim time. 

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The Adult Swim bumpers were often unpredictable and nondescript videos, sometimes with an abstract quote attached. These could be anything, right from old people walking on a road, to somebody swimming in a pool, or just an old car passing by. These bumpers all had the signature [AS] or [Adult Swim.] The goal behind these was to encourage more viewers to tune in to their channel after hours. 

TikTokers are now trying to recreate these bumpers in any way they can by using the [AS] signature and the Adult Swim logo. These often include random videos or thoughts followed by the [AS] logo. Some TikTokers, on the other hand, are choosing, instead, to create the initials [AS] using a variety of materials. For example: cashew nuts.

What is The Song Used in The [Adult Swim] Trend on TikTok? 

The [AS] trend was started by user Vans 3000 when he posted a video of him standing in the corner of a street, eating a sandwich. For the background music, he used his own beat using BADBADNOTGOOD’s “Time Moves Slow” ft. Sam Herring. 

However, that first video of his did not feature the [AS] logo. That came after, when he posted a video of someone in a Spider-man costume in a subway station in New York, followed by the [Adult Swim] logo to the beat of his music. This was the video that effectively kickstarted the trend. Today, the #adultswim hashtag has millions of videos under it!

Adult Swim itself is aware of the trend and thanked everyone for it. One of their video messages read: “We have been talking to you like this for a long time. It is nice to see you talking back to us.”

The [AS] trend is not only creative, it also takes us all on a trip down memory lane. So, what do you think? Will you take part in it?