What is a meme – and how do I use them?

A brief history of memes.

Surprisingly, memes didn’t start with the internet. In fact, the term “meme” was first introduced in 1976 in Richard Dawkins’ work The Selfish Gene. While it didn’t mean the exact same thing as it does now, it was close, with Dawkins’ conception of a meme being “a unit of cultural transmission”.

Memes eventually made their way to the internet in 1993 in an issue of Wired, where a meme was described as an "infectious idea... much as viruses leap from body to body.” But they didn’t really take off to become the phenomenon they are today until around 2012.

2012 is when the world was greeted by Grumpy Cat, a feline from Arizona whose real name was Tardar Sauce. An iconic meme example, her scowl became an internet sensation. Pictures of Grumpy Cat were usually accompanied with sarcastic, unimpressed text – perfectly matching her signature expression.

Success Kid, however, was an earlier meme, popping up in 2007. It shows a child on a beach, holding up his fist with a proud, almost smug, expression on his face. It’s known as success kid as the wording on the meme is usually related to conquering something, such as: “when you wear a white shirt and don’t drop food down it!”

Take a look at these classic meme templates from Adobe Express.

One does not simply make a meme.

Memes are quite the versatile media, and we meme it when we say they can be used for anything! Below are some ideas and areas where you can break into the world of memes.

For a special occasion.

Whether you want to make a sarcastic joke, mock the growing number of candles on their cake or simply send a cute and funny message, it’s easy to create a meme to share with your friends and family for their birthday or anniversary. They might appreciate the personalised touch of a birthday meme more than a birthday card.

Memes to share on social media.

The most popular places to share memes are on social media. Once you’ve made your memes, be sure to share them with the world. You never know, you could create the next Grumpy Cat!

Professional memes for your business.

Are memes professional? They can be! In fact, memes can be a great marketing strategy and boost traffic to your social accounts and website. It’s a good idea to jump on current meme trends as soon as you can – making sure they fit with your brand values.

Find a meme template for any occasion.

Looking for some meme-spiration?

Below are some iconic memes for you to check out:

• Evil Kermit is a popular meme which shows Kermit the Frog talking to another Kermit the Frog who is wearing a black hooded cloak. The idea of this meme is to depict someone talking to themselves and is usually paired with a “me to me” quote. For example: Me: I need to save money. Me to me: Book the holiday.
• Distracted Boyfriend was born from a stock photo and shows a man walking with his girlfriend, only to be peering back at another woman with an impressed look on his face. It’s often used to showcase disloyalty – but in a lighthearted way.
• Math Lady or Confused Lady is an actress looking visibly confused and deep in thought. It’s sometimes shown as one image or a series of four images, each with complex math equations over the top. It’s a popular meme for when something just doesn’t add up.
• Homer Simpson Back into a Bush is a gif meme born from an episode of the Simpsons. It shows Homer literally backing into a bush until he disappears. This is a great meme to use when you find yourself in sticky situations you’d rather not be in.
• This Is Fine shows a cartoon dog enjoying a drink at a table, except the room is on fire. The dog has a speech bubble saying, “this is fine”. This meme is usually used when everything is falling apart, but you’re pretending it’s not.

More meme ideas and inspiration this way.