Memes beyond the realm of entertainment

There was a time when students used to begin the academic presentation with a predictable formal note. You know where to start and where to end. Imagine it is becoming fun! During the presentation, a student simply shows an image of 'A woman ranting at a cat and the cat could not bother less!' Surely, the image popped up in your mind and you know the context. Isn't it a fantastic hook to be used? I am sure you'd also agree that it definitely is. All this is happening with a simple virally remixed image called meme.
The concept of memes has emerged as a transformative change in the realm of digital communication, offering a one-stop shortcut for understanding non-conventional ideas and emotions. Despite a facile beginning of random internet humour, meme got its monopolistic attention by spreading a package of relatability, humor, and explications on social phenomena that surpassed the global barrier of tradition and culture.
Recently, the national election of Bangladesh ended in a contentious manner. Social media is flooded with posts and hashtags to exhibit satire, support, and criticism of different political parties, considering particular incidents and situations. Gripping this loop, memes threw up and caught the ball to articulate the actual views of many citizens which they otherwise cannot evolve. The tendency of maximal memes meant to represent something entertaining turned the vision of the audience to take these lightly, yet memes served the purpose well.
Furthermore, we often see two competitor brands like 'Chillox' and 'Madchef' pelting offers on social media wrapped with a meme. They are simply using memes as a solid marketing tool to communicate and compete with audiences as well as rival brands. The strategy behind opting for this meme marketing relies on the feature of memes being easily reachable to maximal people. Another allure in the city comes with meme competition. Netizens are seen to participate here spontaneously to explore their creativity. Meme creators are also being hired on prominent meme pages, even with remuneration for crisp content to feed. Since "Creativity" is the key in this sector, engaging and inventive meme makers can easily grab the spotlight.

Jarin Tasnim
Student
North South University.
[email protected]