Memes have evolved into a form of communication that brings attention to current social and political issues while also heightening people's awareness of those issues. There are some classic meme pictures that date back to the early days of the internet that have stood the test of time and continue to be popular today.
One of these time-honored meme pictures depicts a baby dressed as a "success kid" with his or her fist closed and an "oh yeah!" expression on their face. This is the story of that kid and how the meme celebrity lifestyle has affected him and his family over the course of the past ten years.
1. The Start Of The Meme
"Success Kid" the reaction image known as Kid depicts a young child with a smug expression while sitting on the sand at a beach. The image is also known by the name I Hate Sandcastles. In image macros, it has been used to denote either success or frustration depending on the context. At the beginning of 2011, the original picture was repurposed as a macro image in the style of an advice animal, with captions describing a situation in which things turn out better than expected.
2. The 'Success Kid' Meme Went Viral
Consequently, a picture of Sam quickly went viral on the internet in 2008, giving rise to a number of different iterations of the same meme. Now, given that the meme frequently expresses a negative thought or makes fun of a certain group of people or an individual, Sam's father did not want any negative statement to be associated with a picture of his infant son.
3. Kidney Transplant of the Father of 'Success Kid'
Sam's father was ultimately in need of a kidney transplant after being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease as a direct result of the virality of the meme. On the other hand, just like any other family in the middle class, they did not have enough money to cover the cost of the treatment.
As a result, the family decided to organize a charity drive, and as soon as word spread that the man in question was the father of the "Success Kid" baby, people began to contribute money. And in less than a month, the fundraising effort was successful to the point that Sam's father was able to receive a kidney transplant.
4. 'Success Kid' Meme Dominates The Advertising
The mirrored version of Sammy's photo first appeared on billboards in February 2012 in Britain, courtesy of Virgin Media. New Rising Media and the Daily What reported on the ad campaign.
Griner later confirmed on Flickr that he had been compensated for the use of the photo and that he would be featured in 2012 American Vitamin Water commercials.
5. Rep. Steve King Has Been Served With A Cease-And-Desist Letter From Sammy Griner
Rep. Steve King has been labeled by the mother of "Success Kid" Sammy Griner as a "vile man" for his use of the image of the toddler with a clenched fist as part of fundraising efforts. In response, the mother of "Success Kid" Sammy Griner has issued a cease-and-desist notice to King. Laney Griner has issued a legal threat against the Iowa Republican, alleging that they have violated her copyright. However, the copyright law that surrounds viral memes is a murky area that has not yet been tested in a court of law.
