1. When Peter Kavinsky has his first taste of what looks like Yakult in To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, the probiotic had a bit of a moment – it sold out in shops, and there were even guides on where to buy it.
2. After its release in the '90s, Wallace and Gromit’s cheese of choice – Wensleydale – caused a spike in demand for the northern cheese, saving the factory that made it from closing.
3. In 1997, a year after 101 Dalmatians was released, dog shelters saw a huge influx of the breed, mostly abandoned by parents who had bought puppies for their kids on a whim.
4. And Finding Nemo had a devastating effect on wild clownfish – so many people bought them as pets that they ended up locally extinct in parts of Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines.
5. Since The Queen’s Gambit premiered this October, chess sets have been selling out everywhere – eBay has even recorded a 215% increase in Sales!
6. When the world got hooked on Stranger Things, Eggo Waffles became the unofficial binge-watching snack of choice, courtesy of Eleven’s love for the frozen treat.
7. Rather disturbingly, when Breaking Bad got popular, so did crystal meth – in 2014 British border patrols saw a 400% surge in smuggling of the drug.
8. In E.T, Elliot won the alien’s trust by feeding him Reese's Pieces, permanently putting the candy on the map.
9. Toy Story 2’s 45-second inclusion of the ‘60s Etch-A-Sketch not only made the toy a hit with the next generation, but also saved the company that made it from dissolving.
10. Before V for Vendetta came out in 2006, nobody really associated Guy Fawkes masks with internet hackers.
11. Thanks to Sex and the City, Manolo Blahnik went from being reserved for shoe connoisseurs to being a household name.
12. Since Frozen fever hit the world in 2013, the Lofoten Islands have been inundated with fans desperate to see the real place that the Arendelle was based on.
13. Gossip Girl is full of many a signature look, but you might be surprised to learn that, when viewers figured out its brand, Chuck Bass’ notorious scarf sold out almost immediately, and has developed a bit of a cult following.
14. Since he made his debut in 1933, Popeye is estimated to be responsible for tripling American spinach consumption.
15. When the British public found out that the hot priest on Fleabag was a fan of M&S gin and tonic, sales for the canned drink spiked across the entire country.
16. Bow ties can thank Doctor Who for bringing them back into popularity. When the eleventh Doc declared that “bow ties are cool” demand for them shot up across the high street.
17. And finally, when Parasite was released, people all over the world were trying to get a taste of ram-don – a dish created by combining two different instant noodle brands. According to Google, searches for recipes for the dish went up by 400%, and taste test videos flooded the internet.
