Elsa
Disney's institutional machinery provides Elsa with structural longevity advantages that independent cultural phenomena cannot match. The character exists within an ecosystem that has maintained Mickey Mouse's cultural relevance for nearly a century. Theme park attractions, merchandise licensing agreements, and streaming platform integration ensure continued visibility across generational transitions.
The archetypal nature of her narrative further supports longevity. Stories of self-discovery and acceptance possess eternal relevance, suggesting that Elsa may join the pantheon of enduring fictional figures that includes Cinderella and Snow White.
Social Media
The longevity of social media as a category appears assured, yet individual platforms demonstrate alarming mortality rates. MySpace, Vine, and Google Plus serve as cautionary monuments to digital impermanence. Facebook's user base ages inexorably whilst younger demographics migrate to newer territories.
The fundamental human desire for connection and validation that social media exploits seems unlikely to diminish, suggesting the phenomenon itself will persist. However, any specific platform faces existential vulnerability to the next innovation in attention capture technology.