Debate: did the original meme format carry the joke or was it the caption?

I tried remixing that old distracted boyfriend meme two ways. First I kept the original format but rewrote the captions for modern stuff like streaming services vs. cable. Then I swapped the format to a reaction panel with the same joke structure. The first one got way more likes and shares, like 3x the engagement. But a few people said the new format felt fresher and less lazy. What do you all think, does the old format still carry the weight or should we retire it for good? Has anyone else tested this with a different meme template?

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julia_burns914d ago

I read somewhere that people actually process familiar formats faster so the joke hits quicker, which makes sense with your 3x results. The old distracted boyfriend template is basically burned into our brains at this point, the setup is already done for you. I bet if you tested a totally fresh meme format nobody has seen before it would flop hard compared to the classic one even with the same joke.