We will never know what the actual Vikings would have Tweeted about Denmark's 2018 Eurovision entry. But, if 2018 is a guide, they might have briefly dropped their axes and opened up Twitter to join the crowd wildly enthusing about that year’s entry.
Viking-inspired Rasmussen - five guys who had perhaps broken into the Game of Thrones wardrobe department - was the most Tweeted-about act during one of the biggest events on Twitter.
The combination of marching Vikings, indoor snowstorms, wind machines, dramatic sails and fantastically cultivated facial hair helped generate the evening's top Tweet per Minute figure of almost 40,000*.
Of course, Eurovision was another disappointing outing for the UK. However, in Twitter terms, the country’s entry @surieofficial was helped by a stage invader grabbing her microphone.
This event took the top Tweet per Minute spot for the UK with Rasmussen taking the second place. Sadly, the stage invasion failed to generate Tweets, votes, or sympathy from other markets.
@BBCEurovision is the most Retweeted handle in the UK. It is also one of the most popular globally, while the top three UK hashtags are #eurovision, #eurovision2018, and #esc2018 respectively.
Despite @BBCEurovision's dominance, the top Tweet came from outside of the usual suspects. @JamesMelville's Brexit-related Tweet garnered around 10,000 Retweets and over 24,000 Likes. Proof that you don’t have to be massive to achieve viral success on Twitter.
Overall, it is the acts themselves who pull in the most Tweets. Across all markets, there is a decline until the public vote starts to come in.
If you're looking to do well at Eurovision on Twitter, embracing your heritage is a winning strategy. Last year, Denmark came close to winning with Vikings singing about peace. So, there is something to be said for the use of juxtaposition.
Like chicken-influenced choreography and a song about a chucked boyfriend.
So here’s a tactic for UK entry @MichaelRiceOff. He should go on as a Morris Dancer armed with a song about Brexit. Would it win on Eurovision?
Probably not, but even the Vikings might sit up and Tweet about it.
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