While Robert Pattinson’s Twilight years were a big success, they didn’t exactly grant him celebrity. Sure, he was a movie star now, but he was still just one among many. That is, until the meme. Since then, the “Vampire Bat” meme has followed him around, showing the world his funny side and letting us all in on his secret (and not so secret) life.
Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know about the quirky meme and how to use it for maximum effect.
The Meme And Its Origins
The funny thing about the “vampire bat” meme is that it wasn’t actually inspired by Robert Pattinson. Instead, it started as a spoof of a commercial for a popular vitamin drink. In the commercial, a vampire bat flies into a building and starts killing everybody inside. As it turns out, the vampire bat is a real and very harmful species of bat. The real-life version is much less terrifying but just as annoying as the fictional one.
The similarities between the two are too many to ignore. So naturally, people started associating the vampire bat with Robert Pattinson, who plays the role of a bloodsucking fiend in the commercial. Since then, the weird nickname has stuck and become a permanent part of his identity. In some circles, Robert Pattinson is now known as “the vampire bat.”
What Is A Meme?
Simply put, a meme is an image, phrase, or piece of media that spreads quickly and effectively via the internet. To understand what is motivating people to associate Robert Pattinson with the vampire bat, let’s take a quick step back in history and examine the growing influence of social media on our world today. In the beginning, memes were only valuable because others were sharing them with you. If a meme creator wanted their work to go viral, they would share it with as many people as possible. People who shared and supported their work would be rewarded with more of the same.
Fast-forward to 2017, and this system has evolved. Today, people are creating memes to be shared, reacted to, and ultimately kept. If someone posts a picture of something funny or cool, people may laugh and react to it, but they’ll also want to keep the photo for themselves. Likewise, if a musician posts an album cover or a band logo, people may recognize it and share it, but they’ll also want to listen to the music and check out the bands.
Why Should You Use The Meme?
Since the rise of the internet, memes have become an integral part of popular culture. They can be used to make a statement, ridicule or condemn someone or something, or simply bring a smile to your face. Whatever your intentions, there’s a meme for you.
Like many others, you may see Robert Pattinson as a romantic lead in movies or on television. You may watch his movies and think that he is handsome and charming. You may listen to his music and feel that he is talented and charming. You may even like him as a person and decide that you want to be his friend. There are, however, many other memes out there that you may not have considered.
That’s the beauty of memes. They allow you to find the one that best fits your needs. If you want to make a statement about a certain subject, you can start a conversation and get the ball rolling. If you want to bring a smile to someone’s face, you can share a meme with them. If you want to tell the world about your favorite band or your latest TV show obsession, you can create a Tumblr page and share your findings with others. Better yet, you can do all of these things at once.
If you see yourself as an intellectual, you can argue with people by sharing memes that poke fun at their foolish behavior. If you see yourself as a romantic, you can find the love of your life by sharing memes about handsome strangers. If you want to be a social justice warrior and fight for what’s right, you can post memes about racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, you can start a collection of vintage memes (keeping in mind the copyright laws).
How Can You Post A Meme?
With so much going on in today’s world, it can be hard to keep up with all the breaking news stories and fun viral memes. Thankfully, there are tools that make it easy to curate and distribute your own memes. All you need is a Twitter account and some basic knowledge of Photoshop. You can download the free app, Meme Studio, to get started.
With just a few steps, you can bring a meme to life and share it with your followers. First, find an image online that you think is funny or clever. Then, cut it out of shape and size so that it fits the dimensions of Twitter. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a complete photoshop specialist to do this successfully. With a little bit of effort and a lot of trial and error, you can pull off some pretty cool memes that will leave your followers rolling on the floor, literally.
Where Do I Find Memes?
As we mentioned above, the best way to find memes is on social media. Twitter is the most popular and effective social media platform today, with more than 500 million active monthly users. Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are also popular places to find memes. For example, TikTok currently has more than 500 million active monthly users and has been called the “next big thing” after YouTube. While most people use TikTok to share funny and silly pictures, you can also find serious news stories and political rants on the app.
These apps are great places to find memes, because not only do you have the option of receiving content from millions of other users, but you can also curate content yourself and share it with your followers.
What Are The Risks Involved In Posting A Meme?
Anyone who creates or draws something for the internet risks exposure to legal hazards. In fact, in the United States alone, creators of internet memes can face copyright infringement lawsuits for unauthorized use of copyrighted material. If a lawsuit is filed, the defendant will have to prove that they had no knowledge of the copyrighted material and that their use of it was not intentional.
In other words, if you are sued, you will almost certainly lose. The best defense is to obtain a copyright license from the holder of the material that you are using. Only then can you be sure that you are legally able to use the material in the way that you intend to. Unfortunately, that is not always an option. Sometimes, you just want to make a quick buck and don’t have the money to license the material. Or, you may not even realize that you are violating the copyright of someone else. In these cases, your only option may be to settle the case out of court. That is, if you can get the other person to agree to a settlement.’
What About Ethics?
While we are on the subject of legal risks, it is important to remember that there are also ethical considerations when using memes. Just like with any other tool or form of entertainment, you must always bear in mind the ‘circle of decency.’
In other words, just because you can make a quick buck off a meme doesn’t mean that you should. Sure, you may have heard of certain creators making a “living” off of TikTok, but that is mostly due to the fact that the platform is mostly filled with short-form content that can be monetized easily. In most cases, these creators are not actually doing anything wrong, but it’s still something to be mindful of.
Is Posting A Meme Worth It?
Ultimately, the only way to find out whether or not you should post a meme is by trying it out. Just remember that, as with any other creative endeavor, there is no guarantee that your meme will be successful. The key is to have fun and go for it.
Sometimes, all it takes is one picture with the right caption to get the ball rolling. If that happens, then great! If not, then maybe it’s time to find a different form of viral marketing.