Memes w/ Meaning: Why We Love Crazy Gifs & Videos

#sxsw #memeswm

Last year, we spent the equivalent of 1 million years watching cat videos online, uploaded ½ million different versions of Harlem Shake and took more pictures of what we ate for dinner last night than who we ate dinner with. Are we dumber than ever or is there something else going on? We say yes! This phenomenon isn’t a sign of an intellectual void in our culture. As our anthropological study of the visual web -- pictures, gifs, videos -- shows us, it’s evidence of something very deep, powerful, and dare we say, uplifting. By understanding and harnessing all this meaning we imbue in the visual web, we can create the kind of captivating content people crave, share and consume.

Video YT Rewind 2012: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCkYw3cRwLo

Presenters

Abigail Posner

Head of Strategic Planning

Google

Abigail heads up the Strategic Planning team for agency development. She works closely with the advertising and marketing communities to help amplify their strategic and creative efforts in the digital space. While at Google, she has also launched a thought leadership series on human beings deep, emotional relationships with the digital space: Humanizing Digital.

Prior Google, Abigail was Executive Vice President, Strategy Director at Publicis New York, where she directed strategic planning efforts for major new business pitches and provided thought leadership to key global clients. Before that, she spent 11 years at DDB NY. There, she co-directed the strategic planning department and directed strategic efforts for a range of clients.