All things Boaty McBoatface

Even though the #NameOurShip campaign we ran with NERC is over, Boaty McBoatface has continued to provide us with endless entertainment, so we decided to choose our favourite Boaty McBoatthings…

1. Featuring on The Late Show

Boaty McBoatface and the British humour got everyone talking, it even featured on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show in America. Nearly five minutes of prime time TV, viewed by 2.6 million people was beyond anyone’s expectations for the campaign.

It wasn’t just news channels and talk shows who were talking about it, it reached 250 million people across social media and trended on Twitter across the UK, USA and Australia. Even brands such as Iron Maiden, Universal Orlando and Paddy Power joined in the conversation.

2. Boaty McBoatface became its own personality

Boaty has become a character in itself and has its own Facebook page and Twitter account (well nearly 20 accounts). The ‘original’ @BoatyMcBoatface Twitter account has over 3.3K followers and is still sharing Boaty related tweets. Boaty McBoatface may not have graced the seas of the world, but it will live on forever on the internet.

3. Boaty products popping up here, there and everywhere

Visit www.boatymcboatface.co.uk, you can be sure to find all things boaty. Google ‘Boaty McBoatface products’ and you will see the array of wonderful spin offs to buy… Phone cases, dog collars, mugs, hoodies etc. Who wouldn’t want a Boaty McBoatface t-shirt or tote bag? Or how about a Daddy McDadface mug? You know what… maybe the birds will appreciate a Birdy McBirdface house too.

We know what we want for Christmas…

4. The petition

One Government petition was started to honour the public’s choice of name for the polar research ship, but it only gained 54 signatures.

Instead, in true British humour, the petition that gained the most popularity called for the real Sir David Attenborough to change his name to Sir Boaty McBoatface, obviously in the interest of democracy, it was the only alternative. The petition gained over 3000 votes, but sadly it is yet to hit the target.

5. This Australian newsreader’s reaction to RSS Boaty McBoatface

6. Other brands jumped on board for self-promotion

Boaty McBoatface’s viral success meant that lots of brands, not only from Britain but globally, jumped aboard the Boaty McBoathype to promote themselves. Firey McFireface (Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service), Pubby McPubface (Newbridge Arms), Trainy McTrainface (South West train service), and Doggy McDogface (Dog’s Trust) are just a few of the British snowclones. In Australia, a racehorse has now been named, you guessed it… Horsey McHorseface and even Google hopped on the Boaty band wagon and named their new computer programme Parsey McParseface.

7. Brands started their own naming competitions

Seeing the viral reach of NERC’s naming campaign, other brands decided to hold their own naming competitions. Each competition had something in common, the entry of a Something McSomethingface. However, many organisations steered clear of the snowclone. Sydney decided against Ferry McFerryface and the U.S Air Force didn’t fancy having a Bomber McBomberface B-21 aircraft. The Robert E. Lee Elementary, a primary school in Texas, had Schoolie McSchoolface as a popular entry, but it was beaten by some questionable, and some brilliant entries… Sign me up for Bruce Lee Elementary!

Even Nintendo joined in…

8. The super meme

One of the most magical moments was the merging of two global memes – Harambe and Boaty McBoatface, mutating into ‘The Super Meme’.

Harambe McHarambeface

The story claimed that a Chinese zoo had held a naming competition for a newly born gorilla, and the winning name was ‘Harambe McHarambeface’. It was all over newsfeeds and was picked up by various news channels.

Sadly, the story was too good to be true, and Harambe McHarambeface was an elaborate hoax… But none the less, the super meme creation was a magical moment.