Memes are ideas or content that spread from person to person via the internet. They began as simple comic strips but have evolved to include photos, videos and GIFs. Memes have become a tool for entertainment, social commentary, and protest. They are also used in marketing and education. Brands and organizations create memes to promote products, services and raise awareness in fun and engaging ways. Memes reflect the evolution of society and pop culture. They have become an important part of internet culture and a new form of protest art in the digital age.

1. THE MEME THEORY

3. What the hell's a meme ?
One Liner : It's a graphic representation of sardonic humor
A meme is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation
from person to person within a culture—often with the aim of conveying a
particular phenomenon, theme, or meaning represented by the meme

4. The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book The
Selfish Gene
Dawkins called memes "ideas that spread from brain to brain”

5. The First Ever MEME
The comic was found in a 1921 edition of satirical magazine
The Judge , published by the University of Iowa.

6. EVOLUTION OF MEMES
Memes have come a long way…
● From comic strips in daily’s and magazines to web pages and phone screens
● From hand drawn material to photographs to videos and gifs
● From sarcasm and humour to social commentary
● From being a source of entertainment to a tool for protest
● From being a mode of popularity for jeebonmukhi teenage boyz to a powerful
source of advertisement for corporates
Footnote: A collective study of the evolution of memes reflects upon the evolution
of society and the growth of pop culture

7. HOW TO MAKE A MEME 101
STEP 1:
click an embarrassing photo
of your friend
STEP 2:
add funny texts using applications like meme
generator
Use that crazy sense of humor of yours.
STEP 3:
post it on social media. Sit back
and watch the fun.

8. MEMES MAKE IT EASY
The main aim of using memes as concept introductory
tools is to help students see the funny side of things and
put them in a good mood so that they are attentive and
eager to learn in class

9. MEMES IN CLASSROOM ?
Ethan miller, a teacher of Charlton County High School shares his experience with memes while
teaching
● One good meme is enough to
brighten up the mood of the
classroom; they quickly and easily
catch the attention of students who
were initially dreading what they
thought would be a ‘boring’ lecture.
● Introducing a topic with
the help of memes is an
effective way to grab the
attention of your class.
● memes can make homework fun
and interesting for kids. Memes
allow kids to project what they
have learnt in a creative and
imaginative way.

10. Can you imagine, a 'boring’ subject as history can be so
much fun with memes ?

11. Marketing though Memes
• We take memes at face value.
• It goes deeper than pure rememberance
• Association with a particular emotion with it.
• Encash our emotions.
• No origin or a destination

12. Case Study 1
Brands

13. Pepsi and Coca-Cola
On 31st October 2014, on
halloween, Pepsi led an ad
campaign to promote its drink and
to taunt coca cola. It got viewed and
shared multiple times and
eventually it became a meme

14. Fevicol
• Fevicol has a history with
moving with the times.
• This meme has been a taunt to
the carpooling apps like Uber,
Ola, etc.
• Also as a testament to its own
adhesiveness.
• There have also been multiple
songs based on Fevicol for its
“adhesive qualities”

15. Case Study 2
E-Services

16. Zomato
• Modern brands like these target
Gen-Y and Gen-Z and thus they
base their ads on movies or web
series.
• When India was mad about Gully
Boy, Zomato played with the
emotions attached with the
movie
• And they came up with this
innovative meme

17. Bewakoof.com
• Bewakoof.com a website which
gained popularity much because
it used pop culture and meme
content on its apparels.
• It’s target audience was college
students so trend was what they
played on
• Now any content with yellow
borders and we recognise it is
from bewakoof.com

18. Case Study 3
TV shows

19. Big Bang Theory
• Comedy Central used its humour
to the fullest
• Big Bang Theory used a meme
and it garnered more viewers
than a promo video
• The picture speaks for itself

20. Case Study 4
Awareness

21. Kolkata Police
• Humourous and Savage as
always, this is yet again a play on
meme knowledge which brings
both humour and Awareness
• The environmental concern here
is PUC ( Pollution Under Control)
Certificate

22. GROWING MEME CULTURE IN INDIA
Our tastes might be international but our humour remains desi. After all, it's the relatable
stuff that's the most endearing
India has quickly adapted to the meme culture growing globally and is one of the largest
constructors of meme
Fun Fact : Memes break the law of nature. Eyes were only meant for watching, but you can actually HEAR these
photos.

23. MEMES AND THE ART OF PROTEST
Today, a new medium of protest art is reigning: memes. Simple to make and
simpler to distribute, they can communicate a stance or message at a glance and
express the same feelings experts say are behind conventional protest art. There’s
even an emerging genre within the landscape experts are calling “activist memes.”

24. Conclusion
Memes are a part of Urban Culture in the 21st Century.
From being a source of casual fun, it has become a major source to disburse news,
product placements, awareness and protest, all wrapped in a neat coating of humor.
But like all other things, they can be misused too.
So, take care, be sensible, share memes and ENJOY !