Yea, I didn't know what that was either. I have heard about memes because my old blog had been included on the z-list meme, but I didn't know there was an actual term describing the study of these things. Basically, memetics is all about how a meme replicates and becomes popular within a culture. It's cultural genetics (get it?). And like viruses, memes replicate and infiltrate the population.
Ah yes...and there it is...viruses...viral marketing. Buzz word of the past few years. The whole idea behind viral marketing is that something is so inherently cool/useful/interesting that you have to pass it on. And then it becomes part of a culture. It's ad agencies' job to figure out exactly how to make something so cool/useful/interesting that the audience feels they have to be pass it on. Which is pretty hard to do. I mean, who would have predicted how much children would love a television show about a sponge?
Examples Jeff gave included the famous tag, "Diamonds are forever" from DeBeers (am I the only one that misses the dramatic shadowy commercials they used to run). And a campaign from his own agency that ran in Mississippi ("I'm not your mama!"). It reminded me of these ads for Florida's Center for Cosmetic Surgery that used to run in Miami when I was a kid. "Just one look is worth a thousand words!" Everyone down there knows which ads I'm talking about! haha
Back on track. The presentation went on to talk about how genetics evolve in the same way that culture evolves. Harnessing meme-spreaders (early adopters in marketing speak) can help push a Big Idea (hold up - another buzz word!) out into culture.
Very cool presentation. I liked it a lot. Thanks, Jeff. For more information about memetics, check out his blog here.
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