Microsoft uses HoloLens for the first mixed reality Mannequin Challenge

We’ve seen planking, the Harlem Shake, and the Ice Bucket Challenge over the years, but 2016’s meme appears to be emerging as the Mannequin Challenge. It started out with school kids posing like mannequins, and has now evolved to the point where NFL teams, artists, celebrities, and even Presidential candidates are all posing perfectly still for the camera.

Like any good meme, it’s only a matter of time until brands and corporations finally discover it and start to produce their own versions. Microsoft is one of the first major brands to officially get involved in the Mannequin Challenge, but the software maker is providing its own unique twist. Microsoft is using the HoloLens to make virtual objects like butterflies and pancakes stand still alongside its employees and real-life props. The result is impressive, even if it totally fails to include the Black Beatles track that usually accompanies the Mannequin Challenge.

Facebook, Google, and others successfully killed off the Harlem Shake, and we’re now approaching the death period for the Mannequin Challenge. Enjoy them while you still can, because once your family asks you to participate in one for Thanksgiving on Friday, then you’ll truly know another meme is over.