The Relevency and Importance of MEMES!

VICTORIA'S SECRET TWEAKS BUSINESS PLAN TO FOCUS ON SEXINESS, 'GET WOKE, GO BROKE' CROWD CELEBRATES: https://knowyourmeme.com/news/victorias-secret-tweaks-business-plan-to-focus-on-sexiness-get-woke-go-broke-crowd-celebrates

CROCS X PRINGLES BOOT COLLABORATION: https://knowyourmeme.com/news/crocs-x-pringles-boot-collaboration-awes-inflames-and-confuses-meme-makers

"This is marketing" Heinz ketchup and mustard/ Wolverine and Deadpool: https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2876041

1. How does each meme relate to your topic and target audience?

All three memes relate to fashion, beauty, and marketing by highlighting the humorous, ironic, or controversial ways that brands use collaboration, relatability, and messaging to engage with consumers. “Deadpool and Wolverine Billboard Mimicked by Heinz Ketchup and Mustard” meme highlights how brands use humor and pop culture references to sell their products, making advertising more relatable and engaging for consumers. It reflects a trend in the fashion and beauty industries where brands make bold, attention grabbing statements by appealing to younger, socially savvy audiences, my target audience. “CROCS x Pringles Boot Collaboration” meme critiques the humor of unnecessary brand collaborations, a growing trend in fashion and beauty marketing. The humor here comes from how brands sometimes push with collaborations that seem impractical, all in the name of going viral. “Victoria's Secret Tweaks Business Plan to Focus on Sexiness, 'Get Woke, Go Broke' Crowd Celebrates” meme shows the ongoing tension in the fashion and beauty industries between traditional beauty standards and newer demands for inclusivity and body positivity. For an audience focused on beauty and fashion marketing, this meme highlights the challenges brands face in navigating shifting values. 

2. In Davison's framework, what are the 'ideals' of your chosen memes?

In Davison's meme theory, the ideals are the cultural symbols, values, or messages that are conveyed through the meme. Deadpool and Wolverine Billboard Mimicked by Heinz Ketchup and Mustard has the ideals of the blending of pop culture with consumer goods in a humorous way. It reflects a cultural appreciation for unhinged marketing. The message is that marketing can be fun and humorous while still being effective. CROCS x Pringles Boot Collaboration has ideals that prioritize novelty over practicality, poking fun at the idea of brands doing things just to go viral. This meme embodies fashion marketing where absurdity is celebrated, and the ideal is creating something "cool" through humor and shock value rather than genuine consumer need. “Victoria's Secret Tweaks Business Plan to Focus on Sexiness, 'Get Woke, Go Broke' Crowd Celebrates” shows a clash between traditional beauty standards (often embodied by "sexy" marketing) and values of inclusivity and body positivity. This meme reflects the tension between legacy brands sticking to their old ways vs embracing social change and diversity, illustrating the evolving ideals of beauty in the modern era.

3. What are the "behaviors" of your identified memes? Where do they originate, and how do they spread?

“Deadpool and Wolverine Billboard Mimicked by Heinz Ketchup and Mustard”: the behavior here is the use of humor and pop culture references to capture attention and create a viral moment. It originates from the blend of brand marketing and internet culture, where companies use meme friendly advertising to engage with young consumers. The meme spreads rapidly through social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit, etc, where users enjoy sharing funny and unexpected collaborations. The behavior of the “CROCS x Pringles Boot Collaboration” involves mockery and viral sharing of ridiculous brand decisions. It originates from consumer reactions to absurd collaborations, often fueled by internet forums and social media. People share these memes to critique the idea that some collaborations are done purely for viral potential, rather than consumer demand. The meme spreads through humor, with users expressing disbelief and amusement at the craziness of the product. The behavior in the “Victoria's Secret Tweaks Business Plan to Focus on Sexiness, 'Get Woke, Go Broke' Crowd Celebrates” meme is the discussion and critique of companies’ responses to social issues. It originates from public reactions to brand changes and the debate over inclusivity in fashion. The meme spreads through commentary on social media platforms, especially in response to news stories or official statements from the brand, with users either supporting or mocking Victoria's Secret’s 360.

4. What are the "manifestations" of your chosen memes, and how are they different from other possible manifestations?

   - Deadpool and Wolverine Billboard Mimicked by Heinz Ketchup and Mustard: The manifestation of this meme is a parody of a well known billboard campaign, where Heinz ketchup and mustard are hilariously associated with the characters of Deadpool and Wolverine, especially due to the identical colors. This contrasts with other forms of advertising, where brands might stick to more traditional, straightforward representations of their products. The cleverness of combining pop culture and product placement in an unexpected way makes this manifestation stand out.

   - CROCS x Pringles Boot Collaboration: The manifestation here is a satirical product concept, where two unrelated brands (Crocs and Pringles) are humorously combined to create a crazy product. This meme differs from other brand collaborations by intentionally disregarding practical or desirable products and instead highlighting the ridiculousness of some brand relations. Other brand collaborations might focus on exclusivity or luxury but this one intentionally embraces the "bad taste" angle for comedic effect.

   - “Victoria's Secret Tweaks Business Plan to Focus on Sexiness, 'Get Woke, Go Broke' Crowd Celebrates”: The manifestation is a satirical headline or news story format that comments on the tension between Victoria’s Secret’s attempt to shift its image and the backlash from certain consumer groups. This meme stands out because it uses a popular slogan "Get woke, go broke" to critique a corporate decision politically. Other possible manifestations could have focused on the same subject matter but in a more direct or serious tone but the meme form, however, uses humor and irony to make a social commentary.

   
   

5. How do these specific manifestations appeal to your target audience?

“Deadpool and Wolverine x Heinz Ketchup and Mustard” appeals to those who enjoy pop culture and humor in advertising, tapping into a younger audience that appreciates memes, irony, and the clever blending of pop culture with everyday products.”CROCS x Pringles Boot Collaboration” targets an audience that is in tune with the viral marketing world and enjoys mocking the sometimes ridiculous nature of modern brand collaborations. It’s perfect for those who follow trends but also enjoy laughing at the commercial excesses of the fashion and beauty industries. “Victoria’s Secret Tweaks Business Plan” engages audiences who are open to discussing the ever changing dynamics of beauty standards and how brands react to social movements. It resonates with those who are critical of traditional beauty norms and who enjoy humor and irony in the analysis of corporate decisions. Each meme appeals by offering humor, social commentary, and insights into how modern fashion and beauty marketing works in the digital age, making them both relatable and entertaining for a socially conscious, meme savvy audience of the younger generations I target in the beauty and fashion world.