Initially founded in 2007 by the international art collector, Tseng Kwong Chi (yeah we brought him back, thanks for asking), Mao’s Meme Company was the driving force behind Sotheby’s first “Contemporary Internet Memetics” auction in May 2014. During the inaugural event, Ken Lum’s 1993 meme intitled “Cheeseburger” recieved a record setting bid of 10 million dollars.

In a radical effort to democratize the consumption and enjoyment of internet memes, CEOs Jayne Cole and Kevin Yatsu have transformed Mao’s Meme Company into what it is today: a cutting edge internet space that streamlines the complicated process of meme interaction. 

If you were born before the year 1990, there is a strong possibility that your understanding of a meme is based upon some obscure image you found on your child’s iPad 4 that’s housed in a Nerf Elite Gaming Case for iPad 4 . 

Fortunately, Analysts from Mao’s Meme Company have developed an easy to understand definition that can be applied to a wide variety of internet memes.

1. Memes are essentially appropriation art
2. Often paired with text, memes offer satirical and humorous commentary on virtually any contemporary concern
3. Traditionally, memes accumulate greater cultural and economic value when their references are more obscure.