EMILY KWONG, HOST:
Every so often, there is a main character - someone or something the internet has decided they're obsessed with. And NPR's Mia Venkat is here to explain who is giving us main-character energy this week. Hey, Mia.
MIA VENKAT, BYLINE: Hi, Emily.
KWONG: OK, who has captured the internet's heart?
VENKAT: So before I get started, I want to ask you a question. When you think of a jingle, what is the jingle that comes to mind?
KWONG: Ooh. (Singing) The best part of waking up...
(SOUNDBITE OF SNAPPING FINGERS)
EMILY KWONG AND MIA VENKAT: (Singing) ...Is Folgers in your cup.
KWONG: Boop (laughter).
VENKAT: You - good one. Mine is, we are farmers. Bum-ba-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum.
(LAUGHTER)
VENKAT: But...
KWONG: Cute, yeah.
VENKAT: Have you heard this one?
(SOUNDBITE OF TIKTOK VIDEO)
ROMEO BINGHAM: (Singing) Dr. Pepper, baby, it's good and nice. Doo doo doo.
KWONG: Ooh, that's an earworm.
VENKAT: I know. Have you heard it before?
KWONG: Who wrote that? No.
VENKAT: That is created by Romeo. They're 26 years old and from Tacoma, Washington, and they make a wide variety of content on TikTok. I interviewed them this week, and they describe their content as kind of a mix of comedy, storytelling, with a dash of music.
KWONG: Yeah.
VENKAT: And this particular video with the Dr. Pepper jingle went extremely viral. It was posted right before Christmas and now has over 125 million views. Dr. Pepper, of course, took notice, and behind the scenes, the brand worked with Romeo for weeks on how to capitalize on this moment. Then on January 19, a full-on commercial, where Romeo was given on-screen credit, aired twice during the College Football Playoff National Championship.
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
BINGHAM: (Singing) Dr. Pepper, baby, it's good and nice.
KWONG: Wow.
VENKAT: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
BINGHAM: (Singing) Dr. Pepper, baby, it's good and nice.
VENKAT: It's groovy.
(SOUNDBITE OF AD)
BINGHAM: (Singing) Good, good, good and nice. Doo doo doo.
KWONG: Doo doo doo. To see something made just, like, at home elevated to a TV commercial? I mean, that must have been a life-changing experience for Romeo.
VENKAT: I mean, it was, like, an 11-second post. Just front camera, right? And it was a life-changing experience. When I reached out to Romeo, they told me that they thought the jingle, of course, would perform well, but this was above and beyond.
BINGHAM: The last couple weeks have been like a haze and a dream.
VENKAT: And I will say, Emily, they wouldn't disclose how much, but Romeo did tell me that they got paid for the Dr. Pepper partnership.
KWONG: I kind of want Romeo to write the jingles for every brand now.
VENKAT: Well, most of the internet and every other brand agrees with you. Romeo's comments on TikTok are flooded with brands requesting their own jingles. So Romeo wrote one for Hyundai.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIKTOK VIDEO)
BINGHAM: (Singing) The sun is out, and I'm feeling OK. Have a good day with Hyundai. Ding.
VENKAT: And Vita Coco.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIKTOK VIDEO)
BINGHAM: (Singing) Vita Coco. You'll go loco 'cause it's so dang delicioso. Ba-dum-pum.
VENKAT: Once again, people online loved it. This creator, TieDyeLasagna, even added some music to it.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIKTOK VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED SINGER: (Singing) Vita Coco. You'll go loco 'cause it's so dang delicioso.
KWONG: Oh, the marimba. Why - I mean, aside from being just so fun and creative, like, why do you think people are so into Romeo's work?
VENKAT: I think for a couple of reasons. One, Romeo just seems very genuine and, like, a real person. They've been making content online for a while now and building their base before this. And unlike other creators or influencers, Romeo wasn't actually trying to sell you something. No, like, 20% off below if you use my link.
KWONG: Yeah.
VENKAT: It's also not, like, a big celebrity ad or something. It's just very organic. Another reason is, people just, I think, need something joyful right now, and Romeo seems to be providing that. And they're really moved by how much people came out to support them.
BINGHAM: What's surprised me the most about all this is the impact it's had on people, not only entertainment-wise, but just, like, putting them in good spirits.
VENKAT: I think it's also because people value authenticity, especially with brands.
KWONG: Yeah.
VENKAT: Nowadays, brands are always in people's comments. Like, yes, queen. Like, this is amazing. And it all feels kind of cringy and not organic.
KWONG: Yeah, like they're trying too hard...
VENKAT: Exactly.
KWONG: ...To get attention.
VENKAT: People liked here that Dr. Pepper actually did something with Romeo's jingle and paid Romeo for it and didn't just capitalize off the free marketing.
KWONG: I love this character because it is the internet, like, leading the way. And it speaks to how there is an art to jingle writing, even if it sounds really breezy when you hear it, you know?
VENKAT: Exactly. Romeo made it clear to me that there's a lot of planning and writing that goes into these.
BINGHAM: It seems effortless, and it seems organic, and it seems natural. And which all they are, but at the same time, like, it's a good tune, and it's simple, and it sticks with people in their head.
VENKAT: Romeo had around a hundred thousand followers on TikTok before the Dr. Pepper video went viral. Now Romeo has over 1 million, which is really sweet because I went back and I watched some of their old videos, and there was this one from the end of 2025 where they talked about their goals for the upcoming year.
(SOUNDBITE OF TIKTOK VIDEO)
BINGHAM: I want to be an entertainer. I don't want to be old one day and be like, wow, what if you could have made it and you just didn't try, you didn't go for it? I would rather waste my time and fail than not do anything and have a mediocre successful life, you feel me?
VENKAT: And other than the interview with NPR, Romeo was on "The Jennifer Hudson Show" and "CBS Mornings" this week, and now is off to the Super Bowl tomorrow with Vita Coco. So I don't think we've seen the last of Romeo.
KWONG: Well, I'm officially a fan. That was NPR's Mia Venkat. Thank you so much.
VENKAT: You're welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF ENLUV AND PAUL GRANT'S "JUNGLE GYM") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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