Pop-Tarts created one of the first memes of the year at the inaugural Pop-Tarts Bowl when it sent its mascot into a larger-than-life toaster, resulting in a giant edible Pop-Tart ripe for content creation. Cheez-It then pulled a similar stunt at the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, describing its own mascot as “non-edible.”

Wildly speculative auction prices for everything from the first tweet to virtual real estate suggest the blockchain hype is getting out of hand.

Social media memes have been around for over a decade, but the last twelve months have solidified their position as a staple of digital communication. While the topics themselves are no laughing matter, lighthearted humor about shared struggles has become a coping mechanism—or simply a much-needed distraction—for many.