Copy the link to learn more on our site: http://www.mdgadvertising.com/blog/a-deep-dive-into-the-internet-meme-infographic/ - Internet memes are cultural ideas that spread virally throughout the Web. In 2012, these Internet pop culture snippets rapidly rose in popularity and power as they captured the moments that got everyone talking, tweeting, mocking, and rocking. To recall the most memorable memes of the year, MDG Advertising developed an entertaining infographic featuring the four Internet memes that took over the Web and the world. It offers a look at the photos and videos that caught our attention and explains why these moments became iconic images of our time. Check out MDG’s infographic to see the year’s Internet memes that made laughable, lovable, and lasting impressions. One of the most widespread memes was the Kony 2012 social media sharing blitz. For this viral video campaign, the Invisible Children nonprofit organization posted a video promoting the capture of the notorious war criminal Joseph Kony and urged viewers to spread the word to certain celebrities and political powerhouses via Twitter. This sparked a spike in total video views to reach 9 million in a single day and hit 100 million in less than a week to set a new record for the most viral online video. Since young adults were the target audience, social media proved to be the perfect way to reach and resonate with this market. While the campaign gained massive attention, the meme was ultimately deemed unsuccessful due to rampant criticism and controversy. The infographic also features the famous face of McKayla Maroney, the United States Olympic gymnast whose scowl over her Silver medal on the award platform became one of the most mocked memes of the year. Her grimace during a moment of glory spread through the Web like wildfire and inspired countless Photoshopped images of her face inserted into iconic photos, as well as hilarious Halloween costumes and personal comparisons by other famous faces. Then, the infographic goes on to recall Mitt Romney’s campaign-changing comment regarding his “binders full of women.” In the second presidential debate, the candidate made a huge gender gaffe with an offhand remark about pay equity during his time as governor. Moments after uttering that fateful phrase, the Web was flooded with parodies and the comment was quickly picked up by the mainstream media. It was found comical by some and condescending by others, but it ultimately stifled the momentum that was driving Romney’s rapid comeback and became known as a major meme of the campaign. To learn more about the power of integrating infographics into your digital marketing strategy, contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit http://mdgadvertising.com.

1. A DEEP DIVE INTO THE
INTERNET MEME
DISSECTING THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE INTERNET MEME
WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE BEST AND WORST MEMES FROM 2012
In the past year, memes have grown, evolved, and expanded in reach and usage. Many of the most viral memes
appeared in response to serious issues in politics and business around the country and, in some cases, the world. News
organizations observed the power of memes, discussing their influence as their popularity rose and their definition
broadened. And Merriam-Webster Dictionary even included the word in its 2012 Words of the Year list. But how do
memes originate and go viral, and why are memes dominating the Web and popular culture? We examine four of the
most popular memes from 2012 to see how they did it.
KONY 2012
When the nonprofit organization Invisible Children uploaded its Kony 2012 video to YouTube, the filmmakers already had a strategic
social media and sharing plan in place. To spread the word about African war criminal Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army, the
organization’s website contained clickable images of 20 specific celebrities and 12 policy-makers and instructions to contact
them via Twitter regarding the Kony 2012 campaign.
“The most viral video in history.” Social Media Stronghold
- Mashable Many celebrities in turn felt compelled to react to Kony
In a day, the video’s total view skyrocketed, and it continued 2012 and spread the word about the video to their
to do so. followers through Twitter, included:
100,000,000 VIEWS
9,000,000 VIEWS
66,000 VIEWS
DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 DAY 4 DAY 5 DAY 6
Invisible Children considered young adults who share content as its audience for Kony Within the first week, there
2012, then targeted them accordingly through social media. were:
Heard a lot Heard a little Heard nothing
AGED 18-29 AGED 30-49 AGED 50-64 AGED 65+
5,000 TWEETS ON
40% 20% 18% 29%
18% 30% 30% 37% 76 MILLION VIEWS ON
42% 50% 52% 43%
Why It Failed
Though heavily shared, the meme is considered a failure. The video tied in with the “Cover The Night” campaign, a daylong
event of community service and Kony marketing. Turnout was very disappointing, due to a growing backlash of controversy.
Notoriety of Kony 2012 led to:
Critics lamenting The public Director Jason
that the video discovering that Russell being
glosses over much only 37% of hospitalized
of Uganda’s history 37% Invisible Children’s after a
and simplifies a budget was “temporary
very complicated directed to psychotic
situation. programs in Africa. breakdown.”
MCKAYLA IS NOT IMPRESSED
After United States Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney fell during her second vault and received a silver medal in the competition,
she stood on the award platform with an icy stare, pursed lips, and folded arms. The look went viral, as a Photoshopped image of
McKayla began popping up online in pictures of important historical moments and famous works of art.
The Rise of an Olympic Meme Famous Faces Also Unimpressed
AUG 5 Maroney makes face on camera at the Olympics.
Buzzfeed posts “McKayla Maroney Falls, Lets Out
AUG 6 Her Inner ‘Mean Girl,’” which picks up 170,000 views
in 48 hours.
A tumblr blog titles McKayla is Not Impressed is created,
AUG 7 and sites such as Mashable and What’s Trending discuss
the meme’s creation and continue to spread awareness.
President Obama
The Wall Street Journal calls Unimpressed McKayla “the NASA’s Mars Rover Team
AUG 8
Olympics’ first breakout meme.” Al Roker
BINDERS FULL OF WOMEN
After wide consideration as victor of the first 2012 U.S. presidential debate, Mitt Romney closed the gender gap among voters
and was poised for a comeback.
The Comeback Glib
During the second presidential debate, however, Romney
used the now-infamous phrase when discussing pay equity
during his governorship. Jokes and parodies hit social media
within minutes of the comment, which was then extensively
covered by the media the next day. Considering peoples’
immediate response, many credited the meme with sparking
the women’s rights discussion on the campaign trail.
How it spread: Meme Mashups:
After Romney makes the comment, it
ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY
immediately goes viral on Facebook, Twitter,
OCT 16 YouTube, and Tumblr. People begin posting
related parody reviews of actual binders on
Amazon.
The Tumblr has more than 11,000 followers, FILL BINDERS WITH WOMEN
while the related Twitter account gains more
OCT 17 than 32,000 followers. Many news outlets
discuss the meme, including Time, The BINDERS FULL OF Romney still
Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, WOMEN, EH? uses binders?
LOL
and NPR.
OCT 18 The “Binders Full Of Women” fan page on TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE MODERN
Facebook grows to 343,000 likes. HIRING PROCESS, MR. ROMNEY
GANGNAM STYLE
Korean pop artist Psy dominated pop culture around the world with “Gangnam Style” for several reasons, including the:
CATCHY BEAT
OPEN-FOR-TRANSLATION LYRICS
OVER-THE-TOP MUSIC VIDEO
EASY-TO-DO DANCE
SINGER’S CHARMING PERSONALITY
International Income Getting & Setting Records
Psy's video catapulted But, with growing
him from Korean to overabundance
international stardom, comparisons to the 90’s hit
and he and his record “Macarena,” even Psy
company pulled in himself said that he hopes
$4 $8 MILLION + about $4 million to “end the song” soon. It’s
MILLION
dollars of the over $8 no wonder “Gangnam
million generating for Style” became the year’s
Psy and His Online
Record Company Advertising Deals YouTube with online ultimate meme that
advertising deals. everyone loved to hate.
Milestones of the Mega-Hit Video: What it spawned:
THE “GANGNAM STYLE” MUSIC VIDEO IS RELEASED.
Reaction videos Parody videos Dance mobs
1 BILLION VIEWS
870 MILLION VIEWS
Popular parodies:
622 MILLION VIEWS
345 MILLION VIEWS
90 MILLION VIEWS Gandalf Navy University of
Style Gangnam Style Oregon Style
JUL 15 AUG 1 SEP 1 OCT 1 NOV 1 DEC 1 DEC 21
“THE MINDSET OF THIS DANCE IS DRESS CLASSY AND DANCE CHEESY.” - PSY
EXPE C T MEME S TO GE T
E V EN BIGGER IN 2013.
SOURCES:
KNOWYOURMEME.COM, MTV.COM, TIME.COM, FORBES.COM,
BUSINESSINSIDER.COM, NYTIMES.COM, LATIMES.COM, CBSNEWS.COM,
PEWINTERNET.ORG, BILLBOARD.BIZ, ADWEEK.COM, ABCNEWS.COM