Media Coverage of the Italian Brainrot Phenomenon in International News Media

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62161/revvisual.v18.6253

Keywords:

Italian Brainrot, Gen Alpha, Gen Z, Generative Artificial Intelligence, Meme, Framing, AI Slop

Abstract

This study examines international media coverage of the "Italian Brainrot" phenomenon throughout 2025, analyzing the intersection of digital virality and traditional news agendas. Utilizing mixed quantitative and qualitative content analysis of 107 verified news items across 23 countries, results indicate a coverage peak in April, primarily focused within Technology and Society sections. The discourse shifted from defining "AI Slop" to debating parenting, mental health, and legal complexities. The study concludes that traditional media legitimize GenAI artifacts via conventional framing, transforming ephemeral memes into multidimensional global cultural and economic subjects.

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Author Biographies

Fernando Olivares-Delgado, University of Alicante

Full Professor of Corporate Communication and Branding at the University of Alicante (UA). He holds a PhD in Sociology and has been awarded the Extraordinary Doctoral Prize. He has four six-year research evaluation periods (sexenios) recognized by CNEAI/ANECA, including one in knowledge transfer. He is Director of the UA_Brandscienceresearch group and of the Institutional Chair in Corporate Branding at the University of Alicante. He has coordinated master’s programs and courses in undergraduate degrees in Business Administration, Marketing, and Advertising, as well as postgraduate programs in Communication. He has supervised four doctoral dissertations and more than 30 Master’s theses by students from over 15 countries. He is the author of more than 90 publications, including books (Gedisa, Lid, Tirant, Springer, McGraw-Hill, among others) and peer-reviewed journal articles, and is a regular contributor to the media (TVE, El Confidencial, SER). He has received the Everis Essay Award and the AEDEMO Award for Best Conference Paper.

Isabel Delgado-Laguna, University of Alicante

Associate Professor of International Corporate Communication and Branding at the University of Alicante (UA).She holds an official Master’s degree in Brand Management (UNIR) and a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism (CEU San Pablo University). She is currently a PhD candidate in the Business, Economics and Society doctoral program at the University of Alicante. She teaches in the undergraduate programs in Advertising and Public Relations and International Relations, as well as in the official Master’s degree in Communication in Creative Industries. She is a member of the research group UA_Brandscience and the Open Communication in Women-Led Startups research group (University of Málaga). She has supervised seven Master’s theses and three Bachelor’s theses, with six projects currently in progress. She has over 11 years of professional experience as a Director of Communication and Brand Management.

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Published

2026-08-03

How to Cite

Olivares-Delgado, F., Delgado-Laguna, I., & Mayorga Escalada, S. (2026). Media Coverage of the Italian Brainrot Phenomenon in International News Media. VISUAL REVIEW. International Visual Culture Review Revista Internacional De Cultura Visual, 18(4), 279–293. https://doi.org/10.62161/revvisual.v18.6253

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 4 (2026): Communication, Innovation and Innovation in Museums

Section

Research articles

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