Why have some childish cartoons featuring blobby characters suddenly become viral trends on social media platforms? Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok normally don’t focus much attention on content made for kids. So, what’s different about these simple memes? And what makes them such big hits?
Evidently, the lively, cheerful characters from the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, created by Roger Hargreaves and his son Adam, have popped up in the art of many viral memes on Instagram. This month, more than one million users have been attracted to the artwork of an Instagram account, “LittleMissNotesApp,” that was created by a user called “Juulpuppy.” “Juulpuppy” has been posting “remix” memes, memes that combine already-drawn Little Miss and Mr. Men characters with tags like “Little Miss Weed Psychosis” or “Mr. ‘What’s the WIFI?’” since last spring.
These memes all have dark but (to some people) funny humor to them. “Juulpuppy”, who claims to be a 21-year-old woman, said about her posts, “We get to see cute imaginary versions of ourselves and laugh together at the messy nature of our flawed personalities, which I think is very genuine and sweet.” And Max Knoblauch, a writer, illustrator, and comedian who had done similar work in 2014 said about the themes of the memes he did and the ones “Juulpuppy” had posted, “… there were just bad things happening but they could be fun. Now, well, they’re bad and they’re not getting better… [but] It’s a blob with a smile and it was so positive.”
Okay, let’s finally get to the point now, why are the Little Miss and Mr. Men memes so popular? The allure of the memes, according to CUNY Queens College assistant professor Jamie Cohen, who specializes in media and digital culture, is that most people can recognize a specific character trait in each meme (like a habit of always trying to correct people’s grammar), something that Cohen thinks is great because it helps people hear and adjust to personality quirks in a serious-but-funny way. Since a lot of people like relating themselves or family members and friends to these fictional or not-so-fictional characters, the memes have become a big trend.
However, along with the popularity of the Hargreaves memes, is the danger that many companies and ads will mimic them and use them as selling points, something that a few corporations are already doing. “I do think the corporate trajectory of this meme takes away its initial pureness. I’ve seen so many ads using the format and many companies and organizations that have caused so much harm to humanity try to jump in on the trend. It has definitely dulled my enthusiasm for the whole trend,” Cohen said.
So, obviously, making something or some meme that can fit any character is one hard task, gently pushing the few memes that can do it to instant and viral hits. How about “Little Miss Foodie” or “Mr. Never Washes His Feet”?
Link:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659267252858x656912773115314600/%E2%80%98Little%20Miss%20%5BBlank%5D%E2%80%99_%20How%20a%20kid-book%20meme%20became%20viral%20comedy%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
Evidently, the lively, cheerful characters from the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, created by Roger Hargreaves and his son Adam, have popped up in the art of many viral memes on Instagram. This month, more than one million users have been attracted to the artwork of an Instagram account, “LittleMissNotesApp,” that was created by a user called “Juulpuppy.” “Juulpuppy” has been posting “remix” memes, memes that combine already-drawn Little Miss and Mr. Men characters with tags like “Little Miss Weed Psychosis” or “Mr. ‘What’s the WIFI?’” since last spring.
These memes all have dark but (to some people) funny humor to them. “Juulpuppy”, who claims to be a 21-year-old woman, said about her posts, “We get to see cute imaginary versions of ourselves and laugh together at the messy nature of our flawed personalities, which I think is very genuine and sweet.” And Max Knoblauch, a writer, illustrator, and comedian who had done similar work in 2014 said about the themes of the memes he did and the ones “Juulpuppy” had posted, “… there were just bad things happening but they could be fun. Now, well, they’re bad and they’re not getting better… [but] It’s a blob with a smile and it was so positive.”
Okay, let’s finally get to the point now, why are the Little Miss and Mr. Men memes so popular? The allure of the memes, according to CUNY Queens College assistant professor Jamie Cohen, who specializes in media and digital culture, is that most people can recognize a specific character trait in each meme (like a habit of always trying to correct people’s grammar), something that Cohen thinks is great because it helps people hear and adjust to personality quirks in a serious-but-funny way. Since a lot of people like relating themselves or family members and friends to these fictional or not-so-fictional characters, the memes have become a big trend.
However, along with the popularity of the Hargreaves memes, is the danger that many companies and ads will mimic them and use them as selling points, something that a few corporations are already doing. “I do think the corporate trajectory of this meme takes away its initial pureness. I’ve seen so many ads using the format and many companies and organizations that have caused so much harm to humanity try to jump in on the trend. It has definitely dulled my enthusiasm for the whole trend,” Cohen said.
So, obviously, making something or some meme that can fit any character is one hard task, gently pushing the few memes that can do it to instant and viral hits. How about “Little Miss Foodie” or “Mr. Never Washes His Feet”?
Link:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/appforest_uf/f1659267252858x656912773115314600/%E2%80%98Little%20Miss%20%5BBlank%5D%E2%80%99_%20How%20a%20kid-book%20meme%20became%20viral%20comedy%20-%20The%20Washington%20Post.pdf
