The Hidden Psychology of Social Networks: How Brands Create Authentic Engagement by Understanding What Motivates Us

CHAPTER

WHAT’S IN A MEME?

Meme. It’s that hot buzzword about which everyone in advertising, marketing, and communications with any digital sense can’t stop talking. Memes seem to arise spontaneously from the ether and from many sources at once. As much as the Internet likes fighting, all corners seem to genuinely agree on how they’re used—and, perhaps just as importantly, how they’re not used. Using a meme incorrectly is the digital equivalent of trying to say “Hello!” in a new language and accidentally calling someone’s mother a “ham planet.” If you’ve ever visited a community called r/AdviceAnimals, a shrine of the past era of meme culture ...