Leader of the free world Beyoncé once sang back in 2006, “I can (up), can I (up), lemme upgrade you, partner let me upgrade you, partner let me upgrade you.” But today we no longer need Queen B’s help with enhancements—thanks to a new meme on the horizon. All you need is a little bit of wit.
On Tuesday night, Twitter went hard on the upgrade meme, utilizing the grid picture layout. All it takes is an original picture, an “upgrade key” image, and the final product. Think of it as a Pokémon evolution. People started off upgrading things related to pop culture:
https://twitter.com/WestsHouse/status/674359147391913985
https://twitter.com/jeremycabo/status/674409324798730240
https://twitter.com/gabebergado/status/674420866298585088
— Bradley Stern (@MuuMuse) December 9, 2015
upgrade pic.twitter.com/cpZF8m0lfv
— lukas (@lukasmihas) December 9, 2015
Eventually, Twitter users began upgrading themselves. Using old photos, they upgraded from their awkward, pubescent phase to the beautiful butterflies they are today.
upgrade¿ pic.twitter.com/SYuECDeeWq
— siera ◡̈ (@sierastorme) December 9, 2015
Upgrade? Challenge accepted. pic.twitter.com/FL0x80dNSe
— Uncle Charlie (Prof X) (@BuSh__IgBoBoY) December 9, 2015
Similar variations of this sort of meme have been spotted before. It’s not unlike the “name brand vs great value” trope that’s popular on Tumblr, which pits two comparable things together with one obviously the better version, i.e. the “name brand.”
https://vine.co/v/epKiUXLA7EK
Some have taken the upgrade meme even further by showcasing originals that simply cannot be improved—they’re too good already. These examples include President Barack Obama and Britney Spears.
— Frank Costa (@feistyfrank) December 9, 2015
Because we all know Mr. Obama and Godney don’t need to change a single thing about themselves.
Screenshot via jeremycabo/YouTube
