Couple in a Red Car meme format depicting a man and woman driving in a car together.

Couple in a Red Car

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Updated Oct 18, 2021 at 06:08PM EDT by Zach.

Added Oct 18, 2021 at 11:48AM EDT by Philipp.

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About

Couple in a Red Car refers to a series of two-panel exploitable memes based on a vector stock image of a couple driving in a car. In the memes, various interactions between the couple occur, usually with the man asking the woman a question and the second panel showing either the couple kissing or the woman being left out of the vehicle.

Origin

On February 12th, 2016, artist Alexander Pokusay uploaded a vector pop-art stock image of a couple driving a red car to stock image websites, including Shutterstock,[1] Vectorstock[2] and Dreamstime.[3] In addition to the original version of the image (shown below, left), several versions of it were also uploaded by Pokusay.



The author of the two-panel version in which the man leaves the woman out of the car is currently unknown. The format first saw use in September 2020, with the earliest discovered meme based on the format posted by Cobra Kai Kompanion[4] podcast on September 17th or earlier (post no longer available). On September 17th, Twitter[5] user @amazing_haynes reposted the meme, which is the earliest available post based on the format (shown below). In the meme, the man abandons the woman after learning that she doesn't know about the Cobra Kai TV series.


WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COBRA KAI EPISODE? WHAT'S COBRA KAI? K

Spread

Starting in mid-September 2020, the format achieved notable usage among Spanish-speaking internet users, with the earliest discovered Spanish version of the meme posted by Facebook[6] page Reg Ska on September 18th (the post was created using an earlier post made by another page which likely predates the September 17th Cobra Kai meme; shown below, left). The post received over 220 reactions and 310 shares in one year. On September 30th, 2020, Tumblr[7] user nineinchnailsmemes posted the only other English version of the meme created during that period, with the post gaining over 60 likes and reblogs (shown below, center). On October 3rd, Facebook[8] page Memessbk posted a series of three memes based on the template, with one of the posts (shown below, right) gaining over 340 shares in one year and being widely circulated[9] in the following months.


Reg Ska ¿Ponemos algo Es que no me gusta. de Ska? 111111 Tell me your favorite Nine Inch Nails song What is a Nine Inch Nails? nineinchnailsmemes Te gusta la salsa? No, esa música es de viejos @memessbk

In early January 2021, the first English version of the meme to reach viral status, created by an unknown user, was posted. On January 12th, 2021, Facebook[10] page I'm a lil hii memes made the earliest found repost of the image, with the post accumulating over 510 reactions and 3,100 shares in nine months (shown below, left). More viral reposts of the image were made in the following weeks.[11]

On March 27th, 2021, Instagram[12] page stevienicksnation posted a music meme based on the template that gained over 3,900 likes, spawning a trend two months later (shown below, center). On May 16th, 2021, Twitter[13] page @LaflameScott posted a version of the meme that gained over 2,100 retweets and 10,600 likes in five months (shown below, right).


You wanna I don't smoke roll a joint? weed! Wanna listen to I don't like Fleetwood Mac? Fleetwood Mac @stevienicksnation Wanna listen to “No, I don't really like his music" Travis Scott? stevienickanation

The post inspired more versions of the meme to be posted on Facebook and Instagram in the following weeks, with the format achieving its viral point in early June 2021. For example, a May 31st, 2021, post by Instagram[14] page jodyhighroller gained over 62,000 likes in five months. In early June 2021, several viral versions of the meme about K-pop bands were posted. For example, on June 1st, Facebook[15] page Only EXO posted a meme that gained over 11,000 reactions and 2,900 shares in five months (shown below, left).

On June 11th or earlier, an unknown Instagram page posted an altered version of the format with the couple kissing in the second panel. On June 11th, Twitter[16] account @TeamDreamville posted the earliest found version of the meme that used the altered template, with the post gaining over 4,000 retweets and 15,800 likes (shown below, center). In the following weeks, more memes based on the altered template were posted. For example, on June 12th, 2021, Twitter[17] user @itsdannyneary posted a version of the meme that gained over 25,000 retweets and 172,400 likes in four months (shown below, right).


Wanna listen to riff raff I don't like his music Caa ALINS MİLLION DOLLAR MULLET TALKİN TED DİBİASE İMMA DİSAPPEAR COME BACK WITH EIGHT WATCHES I don't like Wanna listen to them EXO 11111222 Shut up and go away Thousand nights jigyeopdorok malhaesseo Jjotgo jjonneun angmong ijen kkeunnaelkke Buri kkeojin exit light lje geuman kkeojeo jullae naegeseo You're annoying I know on twitter Monk

In the following months, both versions of the format maintained notable prominence on all major platforms.

Various Examples


*Playing Techno* When will the Song start? EVENTS HYD don't really like country OR metal. You want to listen to some Silo? Do you like Logic? yes
WHO'S YOUR FAVORITE SPIDER-MAN? TOM HOLLAND You Trynna yes do whip its Do you wanna cancel & stay home yes 11216

Templates


172

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