‘Pharmacy Signs In France Hit Different: TikTokers Have A New Obsession—and Theyre Making Techno Mashups About It
Each country has its own sub-genre of daytime tourist attractions; things that locals find completely strange, but strangely fascinating to foreign visitors. Right now, people on TikTok are obsessed with a very specific example: European pharmacy signs.
The green cross is the international symbol of drugs or pharmacies, but the windows of European pharmacies stand out because they are usually illuminated by animated LEDs. They get far more attention than their foreign counterparts, inspiring a meme in which people combine photos of pharmacy signs with techno music. It was discovered thanks to TikTok's viral caption, "Pharmacy signs are different in France".
@thewollium He visited Cannes, saw the pharmacy signs, wanted to rave. # cannes2022 #fyp #europetravel ♬ Stay with me - Amelie Lens @aliwhome #pharmacy #france #rave ♬ Heart of the Raver - Airod & Amelie Lens"The graphic designer of European pharmacies needs a wtffff increase," reads the caption of TikTok, with a staggering 1.2 million views. As the Hygieia Cup is a well-known symbol of pharmacology, many of the signs include animated neon green snakes, which to be honest, look pretty wild if you're not used to seeing them on every street.
"Promote low free electromix for health," joked one commentator, while France's TikTokers expressed surprise that other countries don't have the same signals. Although the meme apparently originated in France, it has since spread to other countries like Greece and has also spread from TikTok to Twitter, inspiring a page devoted to pharmacy sign videos.
@petro_franco When a pharmacy in Greece makes a differenceIf you are wondering why these signs are so difficult, there is actually a practical explanation. They are instantly recognizable from a distance, meaning people know exactly where to go to purchase emergency medical supplies. So their popularity on TikTok means they're just doing their thing.
Is there anything deeper in the pharmacy rave meme? Not really. These pharmacy signs have just caught people's attention because to foreign visitors they look unique and extreme and actually blend perfectly with techno music.
the best stories of today* First published Aug 24, 2022 at 10:40 am. CCT:
Gavia Baker-WhitelawGavia Baker-Whitelaw is a Daily Dot writer who deals with geek and geekdom culture. He specializes in science fiction and superhero films and also appears as a film and television critic on BBC Radio. Elsewhere, it hosts the pop culture podcast Overinvested. Follow her on Twitter @Hello_Tailor
