Often shared through social media, memes are now a core part of Internet culture. Their power
build strong communities among online users. Many are serious and. insightful, but most are
funny. Facebook moms, for instance, often share outdated Despicable Me Minion memes
because they find them amusing and relatable.
Memes come in the form of images, videos and GIFs. They serve as a platform for online trends
and are fora for engaging in cultural discourse. They unite people through humour, and they also
serve as springboards for social and political commentary.
As with other internet phenomena, memes are always evolving. People now use memes to share
news, making them popular among Jamaican businesses and institutions in the online space.
They are a great way to get instant feedback from the online public.
Meme popularity is a direct result of increased social media usage. In May, Global Stats reports
that 54.11% of Jamaicans use Facebook, 24.53% use Instagram and 10.46% use Twitter. This
influx of data comes with the steady decline in traditional media use, and changed the ways
Jamaicans consume information.
In the digital age, modern societies spend much of their time online. This has forced companies
and institutions to package and share information with the public in different ways. The private
and public sectors here are adapting to meme culture to capture the attention of and engage
target audiences. They clearly hope to foster better connections with Jamaicans by being seen as
more approachable.
This conscious brand positioning has already benefited conservative institutions like the
Jamaican Constabulary Force. The JCF often reaches out to communities for information about
criminals and are using memes effectively to this end. Such interaction needs a sense of trust
between parties that cannot be built in a space where people do not feel welcomed. By making
their brand more approachable, police help communities feel more comfortable sharing useful
information despite our “Informa fi dead” culture.
Memes are useful for sharing information for another reason. Younger generations have short
attention spans. Memes are simple to read and can be understood in a matter of seconds.
Jamaican social media pages such as This_is_a_blast show the value of memes in reaching to
audiences quickly and effectively.