Every country has its own subgenre of down-to-earth tourist attractions – things that locals find utterly mundane and foreign visitors find strangely fascinating. Right now, people on TikTok are obsessed with one very specific example: European pharmacy signs.
The green cross is the international symbol of medicines or pharmacies, but the windows of European pharmacies stand out because they are usually illuminated with animated LEDs. They attract much more attention than their foreign counterparts, inspiring a meme of people combining a series of drugstore signs with techno music. It spread via viral TikTok with the caption: "Pharmacy signs in France have a different effect."
@thewollium We were in Cannes, we saw the pharmacy signs, we wanted to wait. #cannes2022 #fyp #europetravel ♬ Stay With Me - Amelie Lance
@aliwhome #apteek #france #rave ♬ Heart of the raver - Airod & Amelie Lens
"Graphic designer for a European pharmacy needs a raise, wtffff," proclaimed the caption on TikTok, which has garnered 1.2 million views. Since the Hygieia conch is a well-known symbol of pharmacology, many of the signs feature animated neon green snakes that, if true, look pretty fierce if you're not used to seeing them everywhere.
"Free Healthcare Electro Mix, Bass Boost," one commenter joked, while French TikTokers expressed surprise that other countries didn't have a token of the same type. Although the meme apparently originated in France, it has since spread to other countries such as Greece, as well as from TikTok to Twitter, inspiring an account dedicated to pharmacist videos.
@petro_franco When a pharmacy in Greece hits you differently ♬ Original Sound - Mike.mej
@ondriftwoods #pharmacy #flashwarning #twflash #epilepsywarning #pharmaciesaidfucktheepileptics #rave ♬ Original Sound - Mike.mej
If you're wondering why these signs are so powerful, there's actually a practical explanation. They are instantly learned from afar, so people know exactly where to buy basic necessities. So their popularity on TikTok means they are just doing their job.
Is there something deeper behind the drugstore rave meme? Not at all. These pharmacy signs just caught people's attention because they look weird and extreme to foreign visitors and actually go well with techno music!
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*Originally published: August 24, 2022, 10:40 am. CDT
Gavia Baker-Whitelaw
Gavia Baker-Whitelaw is a staff reporter for the Daily Dot covering geek culture and fandom. Specializing in science fiction and superhero films, she also appears as a film and television critic for BBC Radio. Elsewhere, she co-hosts the pop culture podcast Overinvested. Follow her on Twitter: @Hello_Tailor
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