Whatever Do You Meme??

We love a good meme here at tbc/wtf. I mean, who doesn’t love some obscure, quirkily remixed cultural references; recast as wry observations on society’s ills and woes?

Right up there in our personal faves are ‘Woman Yelling At Cat’, alongside ‘Philosoraptor’, ‘Hotline Bling’, and ‘Condescending Wonka’.

But what are they for?

Are they simply for ‘shits and giggles’? Comedic paraphrases with short attention spans? Are they ‘digital shorthand’ for feelings we’d otherwise express in person through a barrage of wonkily-articulated emotion? Are they next level emoticons? Or snapshots of snark?

And what of GIFs — their motion-driven counterpart? Their infinite repetition recalls Sisyphus’s eternal damnation (and all of Albert Camus’ absurdist musings on ‘the mind that desires and the world that disappoints’).

Whatever they are, it’s clear to see why they’re so coveted by B2C marketers. Their role as shareable, snackable, moments of levity is perfect for any budding brand intent on gaining ground via social media.

But why should they stay online exclusively? Where else could they live?

And are they ever useful for B2B marketers?

Answers please!