Internet MemesExplained Through

Hipster Ariel

On February 2nd 2011, a young girl photoshopped a pair of Ray-Bans on Ariel, The title character from The Little Mermaid, and made it her Facebook profile picture. In a matter of days, the image spread across the internet. This meme was labeled “Hipster Ariel”. We are going to use this meme to explain the internet meme lifecycle.

The Birth of Hipster Ariel

1. Resonance and Stimulation2. I Can Play Too3. Investment in Stream4. Shifting Context5. Curators6. Memetic Residue

The Six Phases of an Internet Meme

Phase 1: Resonance and Stimulation

At a glance, this is just a picture. Looking at it under the lens of semiotics though, this picture is filled with different types of meaning.

Phase 1:Resonance and Stimulation

Disney Movie

Disdain

Ray-Bans

Princess

Hipster reference

one-two punch joke format

All of these visual and verbal cues are loaded with prior meaning. At least one of these markers of meaning must stimulate or resonate with with a person in order for them to pay attention to it.

Once an internet meme has someone’s interest, they can choose to participate with it by adding content or sharing content.

Phase 2: I can play too

Participators can make. Participators can spread.

adding contentsharing content

= social currency

Phase 2: I can play too

Social currency allows people to let other know they are in on the joke. There is nothing worse than not being in on a joke.

Charlie Brown is not in on the joke.

Phase 3: Investment in Stream

People invest in internet memes two ways:

1. They know that if they participate, the chance for others to participate increases too. More content = more entertainment.

2. Sites that cater to meme creation have time influencers. If people don’t interact with a thread or image it falls to the back of the site or even off of it. Participating keeps entertainment alive.

Phase 4: Shifting Context

Internet memes collaborate with other memes to help each other spread. By doing this they prolong each other’s lives and reach new online communities.

Phase 5: Curators

When enough people start spreading a meme, it can get picked up by aggregators that further spread the meme. These sites have helped propel many internet memes into pop culture.

Phase 6: Memetic Residue

Memes continue until the last player decides to stop playing. For bigger internet memes, residue of the meme is left. This residue can become part of everyday culture. Sometimes the residue may take on a new life, independent of its origin.

Once an internet meme, “Fail” has become a common expression.

We suspect “winning” is going to be a piece of memetic residue that is left over from the Charlie Sheen meme.

Time

Reso

nate &

Stim

ulate

I can

play too

Inve

stmen

t in St

ream

Shift

ing Co

ntex

t

Mem

etic R

esidue

Cura

tors

popularity

Recap: Internet Meme Phases