What are memes? And why do they matter? Grumpy Cat, Doge, Unflattering Beyoncé or Sad Keanu: like it or not, these and many more memes are now part of our culture. This presentation explains the most popular ones, and tells how some - lolcats, for example - have helped build new media empires. Stuck with memes? Look no further!

2. meme
an internet information generator, especially of
random or contentless information
(From the Greek mimëma, ‘something imitated’)
source: urbandictionary.com

4. Grumpy Cat
1.96m views on Know Your Meme (KYM)
Discovered in 2012, now has t-shirts, toys, drinks
(grumppachino) & a film!

6. One does not simply
walk into Mordor
1.6m KYM views
From 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship
of the Ring
Google Maps now references this meme between
‘The Shire’ & ‘Mordor’ in the US

8. Brace yourself/Imminent Ned
600K KYM views
Based on Game of Thrones’ ‘Winter is Coming’

9. Skeptical African Child
no KYM ranking, but still brilliant

11. Unflattering Beyoncé
341k KYM views
Went viral when publicist asked Buzzfeed to remove photos,
deemed ‘unflattering’ (goes to show…)
Bonus gif: http://i2.kym-cdn.
com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/503/722/0a0.gif

13. Condescending Wonka
787k KYM views
Based on Gene Wilder’s 70s Willy Wonka…
…meme culture made him condescending

15. Scumbag Steve
Nearly 4m KYM views
A random picture, taken by Blake Boston’s mother!
Now a global superstar, with music career about to
take off

17. Overly Attached Girlfriend
3.8m KYM views
From a Justin Beiber fan parody video with creepy,
jealous lyrics - instantly got 1.35m views.
Self-made meme!
Laina Morris is now a star

19. Trollface and Rage Guy
8.9m & 2.6m KYM views respectively
Originally from super-crude comics
Now two of the most emblematic memes out there

21. Sad Keanu
2m KYM views
Random paparazzi shot of actor turned into meme
Variants: Happy Keanu, Tai Chi Keanu, Keanu Helmet

23. Nyan Cat
2m KYM views
Originally a video… which has 114m YouTube views!
A 10-hour version also exists…
Not Japanese! But the music is…

25. Doge
9.3m KYM views, despite emerging only late 2013
Originally a photo of a Japanese teacher’s Shiba Inu
Augmented with text in comic sans (the most-hated
font on the internets!)
Now has own virtual currency: Dogecoin

26. www.memegenerator.net

27. So what?

28. Cheezburger: a
media empire
built on memes!
- Launched in 2007
- 50 sites
- 400 million
pageviews/month
- Ben Huh regularly
speaks at major
tech/media
conferences
(MIPTV, LeWeb)

29. Alex from Target:
true/fake meme
phenomenon
- Tweeted Nov 2
- #AlexFromTarget
trended next day
- 316,000 followers
overnight
(now 600,000)
- Marketing company
claimed credit
- They were lying!

30. Grumpy Cat:
global megastar
- Starring in own movie,
Grumpy Cat’s Worst
Christmas Ever (photo)
- Featured on
American Idol
- 214,000 Twitter
followers, 1.1m
Facebook fans
- Merchandising, etc…

31. Anything can be funny on the internet
(for better or for worse)
Memes can go viral & create stars overnight
Copyright? Schmopyright
Anyone can make a meme… even you!
Like them or not, they are part of our culture…

32. YES, RLY!

33. Further reading!
Where memes start: http://www.quickmeme.com
Where memes finish: http://knowyourmeme.com