By now I’m sure the majority of you are all too familiar with the Harlem Shake dance meme that has overtaken Gangnam Style as the latest viral sensation to hit the web.
I’ll admit, I too am guilty of spending a shameful amount of time watching these videos online…
While the Harlem Shake may have been burning through it’s 15 minutes mercilessly, there’s no denying that it marks one of the most popular and pervasive memes of 2013. Within just a span of a few weeks, it already boasts well over 170 million views from 40,000 different YouTube channels.
Between punching inflatable giraffes and underwater tabletop dancing, it’s hard to choose which Harlem Shake videos are the most creative. Thankfully, Mashable has compiled a comprehensive list of must-sees for viewers. Check it out here.
And for those of you hoping this meme couldn’t fade into obscurity any sooner, I’ve got bad news for you. A variation of the Harlem Shake, or rather, “Harlem Fake” has made its way to the Internet—but this time, viewers are greeted with a twist once the bass kicks in.
Here are a few clips of funny Harlem fake-outs:
Please Stop it Harlem Shake
Harlem Shake’d
Harlem Shake: Cereal Edition
and my personal favorite,
Harlem Shake Surprise
Love it or hate it, the Harlem Shake craze is a further example of how social media is changing the marketing landscape by bringing the power of content creation from major brands into the hands of the masses. With the growing popularity of user generated content, 2013 should see the rise of even more memes similar to that of the Harlem Shake.
