The greeting comes from Budweiser's Whassup advertising campaign, which turned a casual phone call between friends into a national catchphrase in the late 1990s. The ads showed friends greeting each other with the same drawn-out word, and the phrase was quickly parodied on television, in films and in everyday conversation. As internet meme culture grew, the elongated shout became a shorthand for a loud, jokey hello, reused in edits, reaction videos and streams long after the original commercials ended. Its simple, instantly recognisable sound is why it still works as a greeting today.