Instagram boss’s launch video for Twitter rival Threads roasted in ‘genius’ parody

Tech execs tend to announce new apps, features and devices in slick promotional videos, and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri was no different when he shared a Reel announcing the launch of Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads, earlier this week – one which has since been parodied by one content creator.

Just days after Elon Musk’s Twitter suffered a significant outage at the start of July - and had to implement controversial, but temporary reading limits on tweets - Mark Zuckerberg’s company started teasing its “civil”, text-based alternative ahead of it eventually being released in the UK at midnight on Thursday (7pm ET).

After the launch, Mosseri released a video explainer on his own Instagram profile in which he said: “We’re hoping to bring some of what we’ve built for photos and videos on Instagram to Threads with text.

“Now the idea is there’s an amazing community on Instagram, and wonderful creators, and we want to create a space where we can engage in public conversations that is friendly, and that is open.”

And it’s certainly proved popular, with Zuckerberg reporting more than 10 million sign-ups to the app after seven hours of it being available to the public.

But one Instagram content creator decided to create his own take on Mosseri’s Reel, with a greater focus on Threads’ similarities with Twitter.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Posing as the Instagram boss, Dan Toomey opens his parody by describing Threads as “some new s*** to waste your time on from Instagram”.

“Threads is for public arguments, cyber-bullying and the occasional post from a fast-food chain that goes too far – in other words, Twitter.

“Now the idea is there’s an amazing opportunity to end Twitter while it’s down, like we saw a wounded deer on the side of the road and we just jammed our thumb into the side of its neck very slowly, so we can feel the last drop of life exit its body,” he continued, before a voice can be heard off-camera saying “too far, Adam”.

As Toomey’s version of Mosseri carries on talking about the supposed benefits of Threads, the necklace sported by his character starts undergoing some changes with every cut, at one point turning into a pair of scissors dangling from a chain.

Toomey continued: “So we’re going to bring a lot of the good creators from Twitter over to Instagram with Threads – people like BTS stans, the kid who doxes billionaires’ planes [Jack Sweeney’s ElonJet] and millions and millions of furry porn accounts.

“And we’re also looking to integrate Mastodon, which is a decentralised, social media bulls*** thing.”

Toomey’s take on the latest social media platform to take up some storage space on your phone has been branded “genius” by commenters on Instagram.

One wrote: “The constantly changing necklace pendants really tie this thing together.”

“No one’s picked up on the El*n [sic] photo in the background yet,” noted another.

A third commented: “The fact that you made like seven necklaces for this is just perfect. Never change, Adam.”

And yes, Mosseri himself – the real Adam - has actually seen it, sharing it to his Instagram story and on his Threads profile, where he added: “The changing necklace pendants really got me you b******.”

Wholesome.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.