If you’re a Twitter user, you’ve probably seen a few one-word tweets in the last day or so.
If a single word stopped your thumb from scrolling, then you’ve just been caught in a trend sweeping the platform. In the great game of trying to grab your attention, companies around the world — and people right here in Springfield, Missouri — are vying for your eyeballs.
Most media outlets to take notice of the one-word Twitter blitz attribute its origins to Amtrak. The passenger train company tweeted the word “trains” during the 10 a.m. hour on Sept. 1. After that, companies, charities, NASA and President Joe Biden all got in on the action.
Here are some one-word tweets we found by exploring southwest Missouri’s Twitter universe on the morning of Sept. 2.
Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium
There’s more to WOW than “fish,” but we applaud the aquarists for sticking with the foundation upon which the attraction is built.
United Way of the Ozarks
Silver Dollar City
They could have gone with “skillets,” or “corndogs,” or “uphill,” or “antiquity,” or “chock-full,” but “rollercoasters” it is. Someone still loves you, Wildfire, and that someone is me.
The Grant Avenue Underpass
P.S. If you are on Twitter and you aren’t following the Grant Avenue Underpass, you need to get in on the underground level for 11 feet and 6 inches of hilarious tweets. Brad Bradshaw tells us in his advertisements that he’s undefeated in semi-truck cases, but the underpass has been undefeated against semi-trucks for more than 70 years.
Rob Blevins
He’s the director of the Discovery Center, and while he kind of fudged by using an acronym, we will allow it, because it’s a term everyone should know. Science + Technology + Engineering + Mathematics = STEM.
O’Reilly Auto Parts
The Springfield metro area’s No. 9 employer, according to the Springfield Business Development Corporation, checks in with a tweet much more succinct than the company’s catchy radio jingle, which you are now singing to yourself in your head. You’re welcome for that.
TMobile
You may or may not know this, but TMobile USA is one of the top 30 employers in the Springfield metro area, putting about 850 of our friends and neighbors to work.
You came close…
Art Hains
While we don’t think Art Hains meant to take part in a phenomenon sweeping Twitter, the voice of the Missouri State Bears did his part to remind us college football is back.
Not so Springfield one-word tweets
Big League Chew
This sugary staple from our youth sports days of yore is still out there. Big League Chew, like many retail products, has suffered from some supply and distribution issues, but you can still find pouches of this timeless classic on the shelves in Springfield stores.
Count von Count
Okay, so the Count from “Sesame Street” tweeted more than one word on Sept. 2. He tweeted “Three thousand six hundred sixty four.” While it was more than one word, it was one number. What’s most impressive about the Count is if you scroll through his timeline, you’ll see he’s been committed to counting every day he has been on Twitter since he joined the platform in 2012. That’s more than a decade of commitment.
Reba McEntire
We’re including Reba because she’s a country music icon, and perhaps so you can get the O’Reilly jingle out of your head and replace it with “Fancy.”
John Deere
The Kansas City Chiefs
Yes, please. We’ll enjoy them all.
Tweet your favorite Springfield-ish one-worders at me, @RanceBurger.
