Stepping into the 2020s, the way young people express themselves on social networks is subtly evolving. This shift from the past "crazy" style to the current "abstract" is particularly notable. What was once confined to small circles is now a widespread group phenomenon, with the meaning shifting from aggressive to absurd and unconventional.
Abstract memes, akin to riddles, add a humorous twist. For instance, sentences like "I'm not born, I'm made by my mom, and it's normal that I'm useless" convey a sense of absurd humor. These abstract texts, like "crazy literature" and "nonsense literature," all aim to express an abnormal mental state and create meaningless happiness. However, the abstract way of expression is relatively more restrained in emotional expression, which resonates with the overall "light" trend of society.
In recent years, cases like Tao Zhe's "strange cries" during singing and his selfie style gaining attention again, Wan Yan Hui De's absurd transformation of daily language going viral, and the chess player Yan Ying's popularity due to the contrast between her behavior and achievements, all reflect the rise of abstract culture. These cases and the memes derived from them are not uncommon on social platforms both domestically and internationally.
Abroad, the "Strongman" meme on TikTok and the "chill guy" anime character, which show absurd confidence and relaxed apathy, have become new ways for young people to express their inner needs. They use these memes to deconstruct mainstream norms, pursue pure happiness, and vent feelings of emptiness and boredom.梗玩家们深知自己在做什么, and even actively label themselves as "low quality." Overseas young people have chosen "Brain Rot" as the word of the year, expressing the negative impact of excessive browsing of low-quality online content.
The rise of abstract culture has also given rise to the trend of paying for memes. For example, the "pink rabbit" blind box on the overseas communication app Line gained popularity due to its abstract design, and young people scrambled to buy them and share them on social platforms. KFC's "Crazy Thursday" promotion also sparked a surge in "V me 50" copywriting, significantly boosting sales. Businesses are adept at capturing this trend, using memes to attract young people.
Multiple brands like Duolingo and McDonald's have successfully broken out of their circles with their skillful meme play. Duolingo, through viral short videos, has seen a continuous increase in daily active users globally. At the same time, new content forms like "cat meme" videos have attracted a lot of attention and become hot topics on social networks. Businesses realize that abstract is not just a specific meme but a broader concept. When young people consume, emotional value has become an important factor.
However, seizing the opportunities of abstract culture is not easy. The most distinctive feature of abstract is its lack of a fixed pattern, making it difficult to replicate. Businesses can only try and explore continuously, leading to many seemingly meaningless products on the market, such as Wei Long's durian-flavored spicy sticks and Chia Chi's "臭门真经" series of melon seeds. Although there are successful cases, most attempts have not achieved the expected results. Therefore, businesses are more inclined to be sensitive to hot trends, follow in their footsteps in time, but will not focus all their efforts on abstract.
For example, after Hahe Milk launched the abstract new product "pancake flavor" milk, it attracted a lot of attention, and then launched a series of new products with normal styles, among which the tea milk product achieved good results in the market. Utilizing abstract but not depending on abstract has become the best choice for businesses to face this uncertain风口.
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