: They often capture "average mental representations" of human experience (like frustration or success) that are easy for global audiences to understand. Impact on Culture and Marketing stock photo meme
Models worried about damage to their professional reputations. : They often capture "average mental representations" of
Real laughter is messy. Stock photo laughter is held for 8 seconds too long. This uncanny valley effect makes the actors look slightly unhinged. Memes exploit this by giving the actors absurd inner monologues. That woman laughing alone with her salad? She isn't laughing at a joke; she is laughing because she has realized she forgot to save the report. Stock photo laughter is held for 8 seconds too long
In the early days of the internet (the "meme ruins life" era of the mid-2000s), stock photos were used unironically. They were the hallmark of low-effort web design and corporate newsletters.