'Hawk Tuah' for Halloween: How Haliey Welch is turning her viral catchphrase into a blossoming business

Haliey Welch, better known as Hawk Tuah Girl, is riding her wave of virality right into Halloween with her very own bubble-gum-pink costume.

On Oct. 4, Welch took to Instagram to showcase her new product line at Spirit Halloween stores. “It’s HAWKtober baby,” she captioned the video.

The jumpsuits — which retail for $49.99 for both women and men — resemble mechanic coveralls and feature a logo that reads “Hawk Tuah Express / Lubrication Experts / Spit on That Thang!”

According to the Spirit website, the costume celebrates “everyone’s favorite viral moment."

While it’s debatable whether the “hawk tuah” meme is everyone’s favorite internet moment, its viral power is undeniable.

Here’s a look at Welch’s meteoric rise to fame since she first “spit on that thang” this summer.

June 11: ‘Hawk tuah’ is the onomatopoeia heard ’round the world

Welch, a 21-year-old from Belfast, Tenn., went viral in June when she was interviewed by YouTubers Tim & Dee TV for a man-on-the-street segment filmed in Nashville.

“What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?” asked DeArius Marlow on TikTok.

“You gotta give ’em that ‘hawk tuah’ and spit on that thang,” Welch replied — and the rest is internet history.

According to Know Your Meme, the video received roughly 8.9 million plays and nearly 240,000 likes in just six days.

The moment was soon clipped out with CapCut by TikTok user @drinkingtiktoks, thus creating a new meme format and skyrocketing Welch’s online fame.

June 20: Early ‘hawk tuah’ merch drops

Just days after going viral, Welch secured a merchandise deal with the Tennessee-based hat company Fathead Threads. The company promoted both signed and unsigned “Hawk Tuah ’24” hats on social media.

June 21: Rumors spread that Welch was fired from her job

The satirical Facebook page Tippah County Tribune had a post go viral after stating that Welch was fired from her job as a preschool teacher because of her viral video.

The post racked up millions of views across social media platforms, including X and TikTok, before it was debunked as a joke.

July 1: Welch dispels rumors, makes social media debut

In her first sit-down interview after going viral, Welch told the Barstool podcast PlanBri Uncut that she was not in fact a teacher and also had not been fired from her job as a spring factory worker.

That same week, Welch launched an Instagram account under her real name, christening the account with a video of her cameo at country star Zach Bryan's concert.

Since then, she has gained over 2.6 million followers on her account, sharing photos with celebrities like Jake Paul and JoJo Siwa.

July 2: Welch lands representation

As her public profile grew, rumors spread that Welch signed with United Talent Agency, which the firm denied.

By July 2, according to TMZ, Welch had, in fact, landed representation with management firm the Penthouse.

“The world’s gone crazy for Haliey! I’m glad our team can help guide this rocket ship. All the podcasters are right, spend five minutes with her and you’ll see why she is America’s sweetheart,” the Penthouse founder Jonnie Forster said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.

The outlet also reported that Welch tapped Nashville entertainment attorney Christian Barker of Christian Barker & Co. for representation.

After obtaining representation, Welch began appearing at various clubs and events, reportedly earning $30,000 per appearance, according to TMZ and Page Six.

July 3: ‘Hawk Tuah’ becomes copyrighted

TMZ reported Welch filed to trademark her viral phrase through her new company, 16 Minutes LLC.

TMZ reported that Welch asked for trademarks in two fields: apparel (like hats and shirts) and entertainment services (like podcasts and comedy shows).

The 16 Minutes website — which states it is the only official site for Haliey Welch — sells hoodies, hats and shirts with phrases like “Normalize hawk tuah” and “What’s good for the hole ain’t good for the soul.”

July 11: Rolling Stone profiles Welch

Rolling Stone dubbed Welch “the national hero we need” and a “Gen Z Dolly Parton” in its profile of the viral star.

“Not bad for a girl with only 15 minutes,” Welch wrote in her Instagram caption about the article.

Aug. 15: Welch throws out 1st pitch at the Mets game

In August, Welch joined a long list of celebrities and personalities to throw the opening pitch for the Mets.

Welch explained on X that she went to the game to spread awareness and donate to America’s VetDogs, “which pairs dogs with war veterans for a forever home.”

Aug. 28: Welch launches Paws Across America foundation

Welch took to X to share that a “lifelong dream” of hers had been fulfilled with the creation of her animal foundation, Paws Across America.

“Ever since my life changed so publicly, I realized there had to be a reason for it,” Welch says on the Paws Across America website. “Growing up, the one constant in my life was my pets, and ​they helped me get through so much. By starting Haliey Welch’s Paws Across America, my newfound financial blessings will be shared with the animals that ​need it most.”

Sept. 3: Hawk Tuah to Talk Tuah

In early September, Welch announced she was launching Talk Tuah, a podcast under Betr, a media company founded by boxer and social media personality Jake Paul.

The podcast, which premiered on Sept. 10, also has its own line of merchandise with phrases such as “I need to talk tuah therapist.”

Sept. 21: Welch sits down with People

In an exclusive interview with People, Welch opened up about her life before and after fame.

"I didn't ask for this, and I'm grateful I have it, so I want to help others too," Welch said in the interview. This includes taking care of her grandma, whom she bought a new vacuum cleaner.

Sept. 28: Spoofed on Saturday Night Live

Welch was parodied by Chloe Fineman in an SNL sketch.

Welch took to X to lightheartedly correct assertions made in the sketch, asking people to support her animal charity rather than herself.

Oct. 3: Podcast success and an official Halloween costume

Forbes reported that Welch’s podcast ranked in the top five on Spotify’s top podcast chart.

That put Talk Tuah ahead of popular shows like the New York Times’ The Daily and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy.

But Welch is not only seeing podcast success. She’s now an official costume in Spirit Halloween stores, alongside other licensed characters like Hermione Granger from Harry Potter and Kevin from Minions.

The Hawk Tuah section of Spirit stores also sells Hawk Tuah flags, beverage koozies and door hangers.