Hot Topic Brings Chaos with TikTok Sitcom for Gen Z Alt Royalty

Hot Topic, the iconic home of alternative pop culture, has teamed up with entertainment-first creative studio Small W•rld to launch its first-ever original IP: Mall Rats, a TikTok-first sitcom starring five creators from across the US.

Shot coast to coast in real malls anchored by Hot Topic retail locations and released natively on social, the series is designed to speak to the weird, nostalgic and chaotic energy of gen z alt kids today; part scripted sketch, part supernatural mystery.

The debut season, launched in September, is built around Halloween, one of Hot Topic’s biggest cultural tentpoles, with each episode embracing tropes from horror B-movies, niche cultural jokes, and adolescent horror. Think ‘Clerks’ meets ‘Goosebumps’, with creator cameos and Hot Topic merch.

The cast includes a ragtag group of creator-misfits, from goth girlies to veteran emo kids, all handpicked to reflect modern-day alternative culture. Future series will expand the Mall Rats universe beyond Halloween, keeping the same format and adding to the cast, but evolving with new seasonal chaos.

The series marks the latest in a slew of entertainment-first branded effort made with Small W•rld, continuing to blur the line between advertising and entertainment to capture attention in a wholly new way.

“Small W•rld inspired us to push beyond traditional brand storytelling and embrace entertainment as our stage. Together, we created a social-first sitcom that amplifies the offbeat humour, weirdness, and community spirit that define alternative culture—celebrating generations of alt kids who have always found their home with Hot Topic, and showing how our brand continues to lead the conversation,” said Katherine Miller, director, social media.

“This project is a testament to the evaporated line between advertising and entertainment. Getting to write and concept alongside comedians and creators was incredible - here's to many more writer’s rooms like it," said Sadia Noor, creative partner.

"As a creator, if you’re lucky enough, not only will your followers trust your creativity, but so will brands. It’s the coolest thing in the world to work with a brand like Hot Topic, a POWERHOUSE, and have them trust you enough to represent that brand."