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Memes, Memes
Everywhere
An Introduction to Internet Memes
February 2017
we are Flint

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Hello,
2016 was a ‘meme-ntous’ year. Memes saw people round the world
pretend to be mannequins, they impacted the US presidential
election, and nearly led the UK government to name a ship “Boaty
McBoatface”.
Memes are nothing new: they have been a staple of culture and
communications for thousands of years. What is new is the speed
with which memes are created, adapted, and spread around the
world via social media.
Today, Internet memes are being used to great effect by brands,
third-sector organisations, and political movements (from the “alt-
right” to their far-left alternatives). Opportunities abound for entities
who use them well.
If you work in communications you need to understand where
Internet memes come from, how they work, and how you can use
them. This report answers those questions. Enjoy it and get in touch
with queries.
Tom
tom@weareflint.co.uk
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Contents
1. Introduction
2. Meme Basics
3. Popular Memes
4. Meme Marketing
5. Takeaways

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Introduction
Internet memes are the building blocks of online culture. From
Lolcatz to the Harlem Shake, via Star Wars or Harry Potter,
Internet users regularly employ memes – whether consciously or
inadvertently.
In recent years, political parties, campaigners, pressure groups,
and the public have also increasingly turned to Internet memes to
make political points, with movements like Je Suis Charlie, Black
Lives Matter, and Make America Great Again.
But why is this?
Simply put, the idea at the heart of memes is the concept of
transmission – content only becomes a meme by spreading.
This is a powerful mechanism for organisations who are able to
harness it for their key messages and communication materials.
While much has been written about the creation of viral content,
there is no scientific formula. By understanding memes, we give
ourselves the opportunity to tap into the natural mechanism
through which humans share ideas online.
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Meme
Basics

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Meme
Basics
What is a meme?
The term ‘meme’ was coined by the evolutionary biologist Richard
Dawkins and appeared in his book The Selfish Gene (1976). It is
defined as, “a package that conveys the idea of a unit of cultural
transmission or a unit of imitation”. Dawkins was attempting to
determine why some behaviours were common in human
societies (in relation to gene survival).
Pre-Internet memes
Prior to the Internet, cultural transmissions existed in forms such
as rhymes, jokes, and quotes from movies. These included The
Terminator’s “I’ll be back” & Star Wars’ “I am your father”.
Pre-Internet memes were also shared through other creative
avenues. The American expression “Kilroy was here” and an
accompanying image of a man peering over a wall became popular
in WWII and rapidly spread through graffiti.
There are tens of thousands of examples of historic memes, from
the peace and love symbol, to the smiley face, to Jesus on the
cross. The significant impact of these memes is apparent due to
their replication in the present day.
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Internet
Memes
An “Internet meme” is a virtually transmitted cultural symbol or
social idea, that is shared on social media and is spread rapidly by
Internet users.
They have become a constant of the online experience. While
memes are most frequently shared on Facebook and Twitter, the
sharing and replication of memes is not limited to these platforms.
They are also spread via email, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger,
Instagram, Snapchat, forums, and many other platforms.
And there are a number of more obscure platforms such as 4Chan
and Reddit on which many memes are generated. More on this
later.
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Types of
Meme
The majority of Internet memes are captioned photos that are
intended to be funny, or to publicly ridicule human behaviour.
They range from cheap humour and shock-value to philosophical
content and social commentary.
There are various different formats of meme. These can generally
be broken down into four broad categories:
1. Image (macro) memes
2. Photo memes
3. Video memes
4. Word memes
Since GIFs are an image-based format, we include them in the
Macro and Photo meme categories.
The following slides detail each of these in turn.
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Macro memes
A macro meme is a familiar image with a
caption (can also include GIFs).
These were used to discuss US President
Donald Trump during the election
campaign. The memes on the right illustrate
the ‘Good Guy Greg’ meme, which depicts a
man smoking, juxtaposed with captions
detailing his good deeds.
Photo memes
A photo meme involves a common visual
signifier that can appear in numerous
contexts. The identifier can be an overlaid
symbol, a filter or an action.
The ‘48’ signifier relates to the share of
British voters that were in favour of
remaining in the EU. The memes on the
right portray an action called ‘planking’
which became a global phenomenon.
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Types of Meme: Macro & Photo

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Video memes
These often portray Internet users
carrying out a specific action.
The Harlem Shake involved groups of
people performing sketches accompanied
by the song of the same name (first two
images). The Ice Bucket challenge,
initiated by the ALS Association,
encouraged participants to donate funds
for research by throwing a bucket of icy
water over their head (far right).
Word memes
Word memes are popular terms or phrases
that can be tracked and altered by the
online community – typically, hashtags.
The #FollowFriday hashtag is still used by
many Twitter users to recommend people
to follow. Other word memes that have
gone viral include #JeSuisCharlie and
#BlackLivesMatter which made use of
hashtags to comment on political and social
events.
#FollowFriday
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Types of Meme: Video & Word

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Meme
Architecture
Each meme category has its own style – visual and/or
grammatical:
Macro memes: These memes are typically made up of a
recognisable photo, with text placed at both the top and bottom of
the image (see top left). The latter tends to serve as the punch line
for the meme and the font is usually Impact.
Photo memes: These memes typically contain a photo in addition
to a widely recognised visual signifier like the rainbow filter
supporting Gay Pride (mid left) or an action/gesture like ‘dabbing’
(top right).
Video memes: These memes can combine elements of the other
formats, including recognisable gestures and hashtags. They may
use popular songs as a soundtrack. Examples include the Harlem
Shake or Mannequin Challenge (bottom image).
Word memes: These memes tend to be a word or a combination of
words, often used as a punchline. Twitter has popularised the use
of hashtags, and the format is now ubiquitous – even beyond social
platforms where the hashtag has a functional purpose (see below).
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Replicating still motion for
Mannequin Challenge

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Why do Memes
Spread?
Richard Dawkins proposed that culture seeks to replicate itself in
order to ensure its continued survival, similarly to that of human
genes. He outlined three main elements that memes should
encompass in order to spread:
1. Fidelity: An idea must retain a certain amount of ‘truth’ in its
replications for it to propagate as a measurable unit.
2. Fecundity: An idea must be transmitted to a certain minimum
number of people to ensure viability.
3. Longevity: Memes do not need to last forever, they just need to
last long enough to propagate.
Research shows that if a user shares a meme, their connections
feel compelled to do the same. However, the content is often
slightly adapted to reflect their own ideas, helping people to
establish stronger connections in an online environment where
face-to-face contact is limited.
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Why do
People Share?
Research suggests there are four key drivers of sharing:
1. Social currency (and in some cases vanity): Will it make the
user seem intelligent, funny, trendy, or in the know?
Essentially, will it make them look good?
2. Emotions: Happiness, wonderment, nostalgia, but also
sadness, shock, or fear. Overall, positive emotions generally
generate more shares than negative.
3. Usefulness: This includes two types of usefulness:
information, like the lowdown on an issue of relevance; and
incentive, like competitions or promotions.
4. Storytelling: Good storytelling is rewarded with shares.
Which of these applies will depend on the type of meme. But
clearly the more drivers a meme taps into, the more likely it is to
be shared.
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Lifespan of a
Meme
Birth of a meme
Many memes originate in the darker corners of the Internet,
before being popularised on mainstream platforms. The next slide
outlines some of the places which have historically played an
important part in the genesis of popular memes.
Growth of a meme
Memes based on current events or the human experience tend to
go viral when said event affects a wide range of people. Pick-up by
a celebrity or public figures will significantly increase a meme’s
reach and heavily influence its “success”.
Longevity of a meme
While most memes have a short lifespan (1 day-1 month), others
defy this trend and remain popular for years. A rare few decline
completely in popularity before resurfacing after a period of time
(e.g. Michael Jordan crying).
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Internet search interest
for "Harlem Shake"
(February–April 2013)

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Meme
Birthplaces
An anonymous image board predominantly used by
Internet subcultures and activist groups, such as Anonymous.
Users have been responsible for numerous popular Internet
memes such as Lolcatz.
A content aggregation site with web content rating & a
discussion board. Reddit currently has 542 million monthly
visitors.
A social networking site which hosts over 300 million
blogs. Memes that originate from Tumblr can have a short
lifespan, as many fail to cross over to alternative platforms.
An online platform for user-generated content. 9Gag
users have created a significant amount of viral content, with
some enjoying long lifespans.
There are hundreds of Meme Generators such as Imgflip, Imgur,
and memegenerator which allow people to generate a meme
without registration, and upload them onto different platforms.

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Popular
Memes

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Popular
Memes
As we have seen, the will of the mob and the random inclination
of a crowd makes a meme popular. Memes that incorporate
humour tend to be shared more more frequently, along with light-
hearted content that speaks to human nature.
The popularity of memes can also be influenced by seasonal
changes and events. For example, Internet memes relating to the
Christmas period are created every year.
By their very nature, memes evolve – sometimes at breakneck
speed. Some of the memes in the next few slides might have
acquired different meanings by the time you read this.
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The Hall of Meme
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1. Y U NO: This is a shortened version of the
phrase ‘why are you not?’, with the the rest
of the text adapted for different memes.
2.3m unique memes created
2. Futurama Fry: This is a macro series that
uses a still of the Futurama character Fry
squinting in confusion.
1.5m unique memes created
3. Most interesting man in the world: It is
based on an advertising campaign for Dos
Equis beer and features actor Jonathan
Goldsmith.
1.3m unique memes created
4. Success kid: This is a macro meme of a
baby appearing to have achieved an
impressive feat. The text is adapted as
needed.
1.2m unique memes created
5. One does not simply: This stems from a
popular phrase used in the Lord of the Rings
franchise.
1.2m unique memes created
6. Willy Wonka: The image portrays actor
Gene Wilder as his Willy Wonka character.
The text is adapted to reflect his
condescending expression.
985k unique memes created
7. Philosoraptor: An image of an animal that
provides advice using quirky unravelling
paradoxes.
734k unique memes created
8. First world problems: This meme provides
captions of issues only considered to be
problems in first world countries.
728k unique memes created

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Current/Recent Memes
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Get you a man that can do both: It often
shows photos of people appearing formally
dressed juxtaposed with images in which they
are in casual attire.
Harambe: After the gorilla Harambe was
killed in efforts to save a child who had fallen
into its enclosure, memes were developed to
position him as an important figure.
The Dab: While the dab is not new, memes of
people performing the dance move are still
popular. It rose to prominence after NFL
player Cam Newton dabbed during the
2015/16 season.
Evil Kermit: A series featuring Kermit
talking with his nemesis, while dressed as the
Sith Lord from Star Wars, who instructs him
to perform immoral acts.
You vs. The Guy She Told You Not to Worry
About: A viral joke in which the format is 2
pictures, the left represents “you” and the
person on the right representing an upgrade.
Bernie or Hillary?: Fake campaign posters in
support of Bernie Sanders in the 2016
Democratic Presidential primary. Sanders is
depicted as being more knowledgeable than
Clinton.
The Mannequin Challenge: This video meme
involves participants holding a pose while
being filmed. A number of public figures
have participated.
Boaty McBoatface: After the UK public voted
to name the Natural Environment Research
Council's vessel Boaty McBoatface, it trended
globally & spawned a number of memes.

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Meme
Marketing

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Meme
Marketing
Clever use of memes can raise awareness of a brand, product, or
service, and help organisations connect with their target
audiences. Memes are about talking the same language and
sharing.
Many brands have taken to using memes for their marketing
efforts, and there are rewards for those who do it well. However
there are plenty of examples where brands have tried and failed.
This section seeks to highlight examples of success, while also
sounding a note of caution. If done wrong, the best case scenario is
a badly-used meme creating embarrassment for your brand.
Worst case, a feeling of alienation among your target audience.
We have included a few suggestions – in particular to show that
the use of memes is not just for consumer brands. Ultimately,
companies need to test and experiment. Learn from others’
experience, and engage down that road with your eyes open.
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Approaches
There are two approaches to consider when creating memes for
PR and marketing purposes: adapt an existing meme or create
entirely new content to better fit a brand narrative. Both options
have advantages and disadvantages.
Using an existing meme (“meme-jacking”):
• Pro: an existing meme already has recognisability and
momentum, and adapting the content can suggest that a
brand is “plugged in”.
• Con: if the adaptation of the meme is not well executed,
companies can be accused of hijacking a trend; brands may
also miss the boat if they take too long to execute.
Creating an original meme
• Pro: this can ensure that the content aligns with brand
objectives and could position a company as a trendsetter.
• Con: it can be difficult to generate traction or momentum
when pushing out your own original meme.
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Successful Meme Marketing
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Jimmy John’s
The company created its own version of
the popular meme to promote its food as
the more appealing option.
2.8k retweets
5k likes
27x typical level of engagements per
tweet
Red Bull
The company created its own version of
the Harlem Shake in the sky.
7.3m YouTube views
72% week-on-week growth in views for
their YouTube channel
Dunkin’ Donuts
Successfully developed its own content
to tap into the #thedress meme, in order
to market their products.
3.1k retweets
4.5k likes
15x typical level of engagements per
tweet

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Successful Meme Marketing
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Wonderful Pistachios
In 2010, the company started employing
memes as part of its “Get Crackin”
campaign. The Keyboard Cat was one
of the most viewed YouTube videos.
3.2m YouTube views
134% sales increase between 2010/11
Frontier
The company developed a meme
referencing the ‘DeezNuts’ YouTube
video to promote a reduction in fares.
The meme was trending at the time.
Generated significant press coverage
Visa
The business created its own meme to
support equal marriage rights and
utilising the then popular hashtag
#LoveWins.
2k retweets
2k likes
40x typical level of engagements per
tweet

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A Few Ideas
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Tech sector
Use Star Wars memes to talk about
force sensitive touch, which is
appearing in new technologies ranging
from cameras to phones and smart
watches.
Food & drink
The Most Interesting Man In The
World meme could suit a new
company or product. It offers an
easy introduction.
Automotive
Adapt the “You Vs. the guy she told you
not to worry about” meme to include an
image of an out-dated/competitor vehicle
or service alongside a newer one.

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A Few Ideas
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Renewables sector
Use the “That’s cute” meme to portray the superior
features of your product or technology.
Retail
The “none of my business ”meme can work for
any competitive industry.

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A Few Ideas
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Financial sector
Use the Financial Advice Dog
meme which features a dog
sharing advice while siting at a
desk in a suit. The captions
juxtapose accounting jargons
with canine puns.
Think tanks
Use the Philosoraptor meme to
highlight issues of policy in an
engaging way, especially where
these require intellectual
coherence and consistency.
Think tanks
Create original memes to succinctly outline the
main arguments of an article, like around
Matteo Renzi’s Referendum in Italy for
example.

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Takeaways

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Takeaways
There are numerous examples of poorly-executed memes by
brands. Many are documented by the Twitter handle Brands
Saying Bae. To avoid embarrassment, here are a few
recommendations.
Ask yourself whether memes are an appropriate vehicle for your
audience. Memes are not used equally by everyone: they are
disproportionately used by millennials, people who work in tech,
media, celebrities, and fashion. Pitching them to a wrong audience
could mean they fall on deaf ears. Have you carried out user
research?
Research and choose your memes wisely. Some memes are
already out-dated by the time they reach the mainstream, and as a
result can negatively affect campaigns. For example, the “Tim
Tebow” pose, otherwise known as, “Tebowing”, is no longer
current. Do you have someone on your team who understands
memes and current trends?
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Takeaways
Plan ahead to ensure timeliness. Memes are often short-lived, and
taking too long to react means you risk missing the boat if you
take too long. Brands were still posting Harlem Shake videos
months after the craze, giving an impression of sluggishness and
not being plugged in. Do you have plans in place to help you
minimise your response time?
Ensure that the content fits your brand. Ask yourself whether the
meme addresses an issue or topic which aligns with your
company values, whether the connection with your key message
is evident, and whether the tone is appropriate. If not, you could
end up looking like you are trying too hard. Do you know where
the meme came from?
Execute well. This may seem like a statement of the obvious, but a
poorly-executed effort can be detrimental. Are you funny?
Actually?
Get in touch. Even just to use us as a sounding board. We’re quite
nice.
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tom@weareflint.co.uk
aidan@weareflint.co.uk
tim@weareflint.co.uk
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