A social GiF with 5.8 million views and counting. Not bad for a niche automotive brand all from one simple GIF.
As the lone marketer at CorkSport, posting humorous social content was part of the job description. Being the “meme master” for a brand that lives in car culture isn’t easy. Car enthusiasts are passionate, sarcastic, and brutally honest. This makes it a challenge to connect with them authentically and humorously. This is where memes and GIFs live as a tool for marketing.
The Idea
I’ve always loved cars. Growing up, I dreamed of building a modded Honda. So that I could flex that gangsta lean for one-handed steering wheel driving. It’s a symbol of confidence. What else speaks to male confidence in meme culture? Gigachad. If you don’t know Gigachad, it is the internet meme that exaggerates the traits of Chad, the ultimate male, depicting confidence, attractiveness, and strength. The guy you want to be while driving your car.
So what happens when you combine the gangsta lean with Gigachad? You get the Gigachad Arm. A weak arm transforming into a muscular one with every upgrade.
Grand Theft Meming
While searching for inspiration, I found an existing Gigachad meme online. I guess I wasn’t the only one with the idea, but it was perfect. I grabbed the image, swapped the GMC wheel for a Mazda logo, added meme text and it was social media ready.
The static meme performed well, but I wanted to take it further. What if I made it a GIF? I animated the transformation frame by frame in Photoshop, showing a limp arm turning into a turbo-powered Gigachad with the CorkSport logo.
After creating the GIF, I uploaded it to Giphy, and it took off. It has since surpassed 5 million shares.
Why It Worked
The concept was simple and relatable. Car mods make you feel stronger, cooler, and more confident. It fit CorkSport’s brand voice of bold, funny, and community-driven. It was shareable and speaks to the inner car guy.
