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The 147th Kentucky Derby was on May 1, 2021. The horse race is held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, and closes out the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. This year’s race was a bit different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Derby is typically the most attended sporting event in North America, this year capacity at the Churchill Downs was reduced to 60%. Derby traditions like dressing up in bright suits and massive fascinators were still in effect. BrandGraph, IZEA’s social intelligence platform, recorded a spike in social media content and engagement for the Kentucky Derby as people celebrated the iconic home race.

Also trending this week on BrandGraph were brands like the Jacksonville Jaguars and Halo. BrandGraph tracks and records the performance of these brands across social media platforms. See what got these brands trending by taking a closer look at the Top Trending Brands for this week:

Trending Brands for the Week of April 26, 2021

  1. The Kentucky Derby
  2. Halo
  3. DC FanDome
  4. Disney Cruise Line
  5. Jacksonville Jaguars

The 2021 Kentucky Derby presented by Woodford Reserve was on May 1. The horse race trended on BrandGraph and social media as people placed their bets for the race. Essential Quality was the favorite to win the race after being undefeated in his previous races. However, Medina Spirit ridden by jockey John Velazquez won this year’s race with total winnings of $1.8 million. Essential Quality finished in fourth place. Many celebrated the race at home and in bars, donning elaborate fascinators and drinking smooth Kentucky bourbon.

Top Content for The Kentucky Derby

The popular first-person shooter game Halo trended on social media and BrandGraph over the week. Microsoft announced the newest installment of the game will support cross-play on Xbox and PC. Halo also trended on BrandGraph in December 2020 after the sixth main installment of the franchise was announced. Gamers are growing more excited for the upcoming release. They’re even more excited to hear that Halo Infinite will support cross-play. Meaning those with Xbox consoles can play online with those who play on a PC. Halo 6 is set to release in late 2021.

Top Content for Halo

DC FanDome, the virtual event celebrating DC Comics, trended on BrandGraph and social media. The comic book convention announced its next event is set for Oct 16, 2021. DC Comic fans shared their excitement for the upcoming event across social media platforms. Many fans hope to see some exclusive previews and announcements for upcoming DC Extended Universe movies and television shows. DC fans are also wondering which DC Comics stars and directors will make an appearance.

Top Content for DC FanDome

Disney Cruise Lines also trended on BrandGraph and social media. On Apr 29, Disney unveiled its new cruise, the Disney Wish. The gigantic ship is the first of its kind and will feature amazing amenities and experiences. The Disney Wish ship has a Marvel Super Hero Academy and Fairytale Hall for young sailors. It also has Disney-inspired dining experiences like a Frozen dinner show and a Walt Disney 1923 themed restaurant. Fans are especially excited for a Star Wars Hyperspace Lounge. The Disney Wish will set sail on Jun 9, 2022, to the Bahamas and Castaway Cay, and bookings open May 27, 2021.

Top Content for Disney Cruise Line

The 2021 NFL Draft began on Apr 29 and ended May 1, 2021. This year the Jacksonville Jaguars had first pick. The Jaguars picked quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jacksonville Jaguars trended on BrandGraph and social media as NFL fans celebrated the draft picks. On Clemson University’s football team, Lawrence went undefeated as a freshman. And even set the record for career quarterback wins for the school. Lawrence was one of the highest regard amateur prospects for the NFL, so it came as no surprise that he was the first pick at the draft. Jaguars fans hope Lawrence can lead the team towards more victories, especially after these past seasons.

Top Content for the Jacksonville Jaguars

BrandGraph Trends is designed to help marketers identify, compare, and contrast momentum among brands, topics, and concepts in social media. Powered by IZEA’s proprietary content classification engine, BrandGraph Trends allows marketers to benchmark any keyword against a brand or groups of brands in a general industry or specific category.

Those interested in learning more about BrandGraph Trends can request a product demonstration at izea.com/brandgraph/get-a-demo