Formats Trending This Summer

The trend-trackers at The WIT have identified a slew of format adaptations making waves on social media this summer, charting shows with the greatest followings on Instagram. This includes hot new treatments of hits such as The Voice, Love Island, Supermarket Sweep, Too Hot to Handle and Beauty and the Geek generating buzz. 

Competition-based formats, of course, have been top draws on summer slates. The Voice Dominicana, the Dominican Republic’s local version of the mega-successful singing format, notched up around 115,000 Instagram followers with its July debut, with all four coaches having strong social followings of their own: Nacho (12 million followers), Musicologo The Libro (2.5 million), Juan Magán (831,000) and Milly Quezada (394,000).

Combining elements of a quiz show with the action of a timed race, the Turkish adaptation of Supermarket Sweep, locally titled Star Market on Star TV, came out of the gate strong last month, with some 41,000 IG followers. 

Dating shows are also hot commodities this summer, and their social media followings are evidence of their audience appeal. Brincando com Fogo, the Brazilian adaptation of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle, had around 33,000 Instagram followers alongside its July debut. The show sees five men and five women come together in a tropical paradise for an unforgettable vacation—though no kissing, no heavy petting and no self-gratification of any kind are allowed. 

Last month also saw the launch of O Amor Acontece, a local adaptation of the dating format Let Love Rule on TVI in Portugal. The show—in which two single candidates immediately move in together in a luxury apartment—drew some 21,000 IG followers, with notable followings for its hosts: Pedro Teixeira (918,000 followers) and Maria Cerqueira Gomes (426,000). 

Australia’s Nine debuted its local adaptation of the Beauty and the Geek format with around 16,000 followers on Instagram for the show (and the host—singer, actress, model and TV personality Sophie Monk—is also a social media favorite, with 611,000 followers). Beauty and the Geek follows as “beauties” and “geeks” from all over the country test their respective brains and charisma. The format was previously adapted in Australia on Seven from 2009 to 2014. 

In June, discovery+ in Italy debuted its treatment of Love Island, in which young and glamorous contestants live in a beautiful villa and race to couple up, as anyone that stays single will be in danger of being eliminated and losing out on a lucrative cash prize. The show had some 46,000 followers on Instagram around the time of launch, with host Giulia De Lellis having her own loyal following (4.9 million followers). 

Scripted remakes from around the world have also topped the charts with strong social media traction this summer. FOX Turkey’s Aşk Mantık İntikam (Love, Reason, Get Even) had some 165,000 IG followers along with its debut in June. An adaptation of the Korean format Cunning Single Lady, the romantic comedy follows Esra as she tries to win back the heart of her now rich ex-husband. Its stars have certainly added to the show’s social media allure: Burcu Özberk (6.6 million followers), Melisa Döngel (2.6 million), Burak Yörük (1.2 million) and İlhan Şen (438,000).

Univision in the U.S. debuted Si Nos Dejan (If They Let Us), a remake of the Colombian telenovela Señora Isabel, in June with around 26,000 followers. It, too, has benefitted from the social media followings of its cast: Mayrín Villanueva (2.1 million followers), Scarlet Gruber (1.2 million), Marcus Ornellas (1.2 million) and Alexis Ayala (946,000).

Same is the case with La desalmada, an adaptation of the Colombian telenovela La dama de Troya that premiered on Las Estrellas in Mexico last month. There were some 77,000 followers for the show, which stars Marjorie de Sousa (7.2 million followers), Livia Brito (6.1 million), José Ron (3.5 million) and Eduardo Santamarina (508,000).