Every great meme starts with a template — a reusable format that people customize with their own text, context, or twist. The best templates are intuitive, flexible, and emotionally specific. This guide explores the origins and ideal usage of the most iconic meme templates in internet history.
Drake Hotline Bling (2015)
Origin: Two frames from Drake's "Hotline Bling" music video showing him rejecting something (top panel, looking away with hand up) and approving something (bottom panel, smiling and pointing). Usage: Comparing two options where one is clearly inferior or less preferred. The simplicity of "bad thing / good thing" makes this one of the most versatile templates ever created. Why it works: The visual contrast between rejection and approval is immediately readable, even at thumbnail size.
Distracted Boyfriend (2017)
Origin: A stock photo by photographer Antonio Guillem showing a man turning to look at another woman while his girlfriend looks on disapprovingly. Usage: Label the three characters to show someone being attracted to a new thing while neglecting what they already have. Why it works: The three-character dynamic creates narrative complexity — there's a protagonist, a temptation, and a victim — allowing nuanced commentary about priorities and loyalty.
Woman Yelling at Cat (2019)
Origin: A mashup of two unrelated images — Taylor Armstrong crying dramatically on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, and a confused white cat (named Smudge) sitting at a dinner table. Usage: The woman represents someone making an emotional accusation; the cat represents someone confused or unfairly targeted. Why it works: The juxtaposition of intense human emotion against a bewildered cat captures the absurdity of many arguments and confrontations.
Expanding Brain (2017)
Origin: A series of panels showing a brain with increasing levels of cosmic illumination. Usage: Present a series of ideas ranging from normal/expected to increasingly absurd or "galaxy-brained." Can be used sincerely (showing genuinely better ideas) or ironically (showing increasingly ridiculous ones). Why it works: The escalating visual format creates natural comedic building, and the four-panel structure provides satisfying pacing.
Two Buttons (2014)
Origin: A stock illustration showing a person sweating while choosing between two buttons. Usage: Present two equally appealing or equally terrible options with the sweating figure representing the difficulty of choosing. Why it works: Decision paralysis is universally relatable, and the exaggerated sweat makes the stakes feel comically high even for trivial choices.
Change My Mind (2018)
Origin: Comedian Steven Crowder sitting at a table outdoors with a sign reading "[Statement]. Change My Mind." Usage: State a controversial or strongly held opinion as the sign text. Why it works: The confrontational setup invites engagement and debate, making it perfect for hot takes and unpopular opinions.
Is This a Pigeon? (2018 resurgence)
Origin: A frame from a 1991 anime showing a character incorrectly identifying a butterfly as a pigeon. Usage: Label the three elements to show someone misidentifying or misunderstanding something obvious. Why it works: The confident wrongness of the character captures a very specific kind of obliviousness that everyone has witnessed.
Stonks (2017)
Origin: A poorly rendered 3D figure standing in front of a stock market chart trending upward, with the word "STONKS" misspelled intentionally. Usage: Celebrating (often ironically) a financial or strategic decision, regardless of whether it was actually wise. Why it works: The deliberately low-quality rendering combined with the misspelling creates an aesthetic of cheerful incompetence that perfectly captures the energy of pretending to understand economics.
This Is Fine (2013)
Origin: A webcomic panel by KC Green showing a dog sitting in a burning room, calmly saying "This is fine." Usage: Any situation where things are clearly falling apart but someone is maintaining a facade of calm. Why it works: It captures the very specific modern experience of living with constant low-level catastrophe — climate change, political chaos, pandemic waves — while maintaining daily routines. The meme IS the modern condition.
Template Evolution
What makes meme templates fascinating is their evolution over time. Templates get remixed, combined, subverted, and eventually retired. A format that peaks in popularity will inevitably face "overuse fatigue," leading to meta-memes about the format itself. The healthiest templates are those flexible enough to adapt — Drake posting has been re-skinned with hundreds of different characters, each adding a new cultural layer while maintaining the core format.
Understanding meme templates is understanding the grammar of internet culture. Find the perfect reaction clip or meme moment for any format at MemePlay.