It seems no matter your age, these days the chances are you spend a fair amount of your day looking at your phone or other screen. Social media in particular - whether it is Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, X, Threads or TikTok - and which ones of these you use is probably down to your age - is not only the go to place for keeping up what’s going on in the world, be it politics, world affairs, business, local community or the most recent dance craze, but also for sharing relatable content with your friends and followers.
A huge part of the communication, particularly on social media, are memes and GIFs. They are an endless source of entertainment and an easy way for people to express themselves. They are the wallpaper of the social media feeds and offer up minutes, or hours, of untaxing distraction each day. They are also arguably a language in themselves, able to transcend cultures and even languages and connect people. They are of course also tools of self-expression and a way to find your ‘tribes’ online.
And just for the avoidance of doubt, meme should be said as to rhyme with cream, and GIF (given it is an acronym of Graphics Interchange Format) should really be pronounced with a hard G at the beginning but that doesn't stop the endless debates online.
Memes and GIFs have a serious side too, being used to spread political ideas or ideologies as well as showcasing anxieties and desires people have. Studies have unsurprisingly shown that memes sparking a stronger emotional response were more likely to be shared, and that people were also more likely to forward funny videos over disgusting, or anger-inducing ones. So it’s therefore understandable that some of the most popular and shared memes and GIFs are cute and funny. Some memes resonate within certain groups so although not ‘viral’ they are still very well known and loved within those groups - whether it is particular communities, within certain territories or cities or those with certain conditions or experiences.
Memes, by their nature, move on very quickly, although many stay within the wider consciousness for many years and become an internet shorthand - such as the distracted boyfriend meme, or ‘is this a ….?’ meme. And so like other popular forms of entertainment, memes and GIFs are perfect for licensing, allowing people to express their love for them outside of the digital world.
Many memes already use popular animated characters that live in the licensing world - such as Spiderman, Arthur, Fry from Futurama, Winnie the Pooh or Patrick Star. These help keep these brands relevant, fun and often do what the IP owners themselves wouldn’t do officially but they’re happy for others to do to keep their brands top of mind and topical.
Many meme and GIF stars are brand new characters that are now ripe for moving into licensing. Original characters that came from YouTube or social media such as Grumpy Cat, Doge, Wojak (also known as the Feels guy), Pusheen or Nyan Cat have almost transcended their origins to become popular and recognized characters.
There is also a convergence of trends, as the simple line drawn characters of many meme characters, especially those in a kawaii style, also dovetail with the kidult and collectibles trends nicely. These characters are perfect for categories such as stationery, fashion and health and beauty.
So when looking for properties with wide appeal and recognition, built in fan bases and that are perfect for licensed products then internet memes and GIFs are a good place to start.
What do you think ? Can memes and GIFs compete in licensed products alongside the entertainment, sports and video games behemoths?