The Distracted Boyfriend Is one of my favorite meme formats, which is why it breaks my heart when I see it used incorrectly, which happens quite frequently. Often, companies unwittingly make fun of themselves.
How the Meme is Supposed to Work
The butt of joke of the meme is the guy. He already has something great but is easily distracted by something else.
The Woman in Blue
She signifies something stable that is good for you and that has been there for you for a long time.
The Woman in Red
She represents something that catches your attention in the moment but won’t be there for long.
The Guy
He doesn’t appreciate what he already has.
Often I will see companies add themselves as the caption over the woman in red. This isn’t good. It means you’re not there for the long term. You’re a flash in the pan. It would be better if they reversed it.
Example
Let’s say you have a dental practice. Brushing and flossing is good for your dental health but not enough people do it regularly, that is why “brushing and flossing regularly” would be the caption over the woman in blue while people think they can fool the dentist by “chewing mints 15 minutes before your appointment” is the caption over the woman in red because it is a quick fix.
Correct
Incorrect
