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What are common elements of popular memes? It's easy to say, "Luck" and so forth, but I suspect there are some elements of memes that are not entirely outside our control.

Or, in other words, what paths do memes take on their way to success?

Or in other, other words, what can a group do in creating and pushing a meme that would give it the best chances of success in a wider audience?

Actually being funny. This, unfortunately, eliminates 99% of memes.

Being easily expandable/applicable to many topics.

Charlie Don't Surf said:

Actually being funny. This, unfortunately, eliminates 99% of memes.

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I can't help myself. I have to draw what's unstated here out further:

In order to be a meme, it must be funny.
99% percent of memes are not funny.
Therefore, 99% of memes are not memes.

That's a super useful definition!

You might as well have just gotten straight to the point and said, "I don't like memes."

MindDetective said:

I can't help myself. I have to draw what's unstated here out further:

In order to be a meme, it must be funny.
99% percent of memes are not funny.
Therefore, 99% of memes are not memes.

That's a super useful definition!

You might as well have just gotten straight to the point and said, "I don't like memes."

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I like some memes. Hipster Ariel, the Kanye/Swift one off the top of my head. I think something has to be popular to be a meme, not funny.

Gusto said:

Being easily expandable/applicable to many topics.

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This me thinks.
Memes seem to survive by repeatability(?). The more things you can apply them too, the longer it stays around.

I suppose it starts being applied to only a few things, but once people start using it willy-nilly and everyone 'understand' it, it gets 'funny'.

YOUR MOM!!!!

(simple yet effective meme right there)

Popularity might be necessary but I don't think it is sufficient to attain meme-hood. There is something about how quickly it acquires its popularity that is important. Also, it doesn't seem to apply to simply liking something (like, say, Justin Bieber. It would be odd to say he was a meme, even though he is considered popular and may have achieved that popularity rapidly.) It seems like memes need to involve video (keyboard cat) or images (leaping lawyer) or language ("Sounds like Nick's Prom night") or some combination of those things. Objects and people themselves are not memes, which allows memes to be creatively modified. It does seem like memes require some creativity as well, either in evolving the phrase or image with different aspects of pop culture or by applying it in different contexts, effectively re-using the meme in different ways.

As for what makes a meme take off? I would say it is principally dependent on the structure of social networks. One highly connected node in the network (a person with lots of connections across different communities) can very effectively spread something to lots of otherwise unconnected, like-minded people.

I think we need to get a picture of Nick in a tuxedo with a terribly sad expression on his face, holding a bouquet of droopy flowers, with SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT written on it in white Impact.

Nick, get on that!

I also liked Keyboard Cat

Gusto said:

I think we need to get a picture of Nick in a tuxedo with a terribly sad expression on his face, holding a bouquet of droopy flowers, with SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT written on it in white Impact.

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Pastel blue tuxedo with large lapels?

HCGLNS said:

Pastel blue tuxedo with large lapels?

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With a ruffled shirt front.

What makes a meme is it the power in his aaaaarms

Is it his quest for gloryyyyyyy

on a related note how many people do you know who mispronounce meme as me-me?

I know some people who do and it just boggles my mind.

makare said:

on a related note how many people do you know who mispronounce meme as me-me?

I know some people who do and it just boggles my mind.

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Hah! That's hilarious.

Gusto said:

I think we need to get a picture of Nick in a tuxedo with a terribly sad expression on his face, holding a bouquet of droopy flowers, with SOUNDS LIKE NICK'S PROM NIGHT written on it in white Impact.

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Challenge accepted!

(If I had the money for a tux.)

Tux t-shirt!

Check your local Salvation Army/Good Will/Thrift Stores... we need the retro look for the tux anyway.

Powder Blue would work fine.

I here that one of the fastest ways to get a tuxedo is to get married. You could try that.

Gusto said:

What makes a meme is it the power in his aaaaarms

Is it his quest for gloryyyyyyy

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HAAAAAH I was thinking this and then I scrolled down and read this and then I laughed!