The term “Twug” has probably been all over your feed if you’ve been on Twitter, but what does it mean and where did it come from? A “twug” is exactly what it sounds like: a Twitter hug.
The word combines the two and is a heartwarming way for people on the app to show each other support and kindness. Often the person who gets a “twug” sends one back, making it a joint effort, just like a real hug.
On Twitter, the word “twug” can be used at any time, but some users lead “twugs” to engage their followers and even make them trending. The most recent time this happened was on Tuesday night, January 12, when people wanted to spread good vibes.
Who invented the word “Twug”?
Donnie Wahlberg, a famous actor and brother of Mark Wahlberg, coined the word “twug.” He started spreading the word online in 2010, and it has really taken off. Since then, he often tells his followers to join in and leads major “twugs” on Twitter to popularize something.
Anything can become a hot topic on Twitter these days, just a few days ago we posted about the hashtags circulating around the news of fake deaths of several celebrities:
Yesterday he urged his followers to join and join spreading kindness through a ‘twug’:
“Apparently there are still ten minutes to midnight on the East Coast — which means it’s still Tuesday. Which means there’s no better time for a socially distanced Twitter virtual hug — aka a #TWUG!”
Twug in difficult times on Twitter
The “twug” is more popular than ever and people seem to be hugging in person less and less. Donnie Wahlberg himself pointed this out when he told his fans on Twitter:
“When I invented the #TWUG ten years ago – also known as the “@Twitter Hug”. I had no idea it would work perfectly for something called “social distancing” during a pandemic. Anyway, here we are a decade later and it looks like we could all use a #TWUG right now!
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.