10 Things That Went Viral Before There Was the Internet

These things all went viral without the help of an algorithm.

Published 4 months ago in Wow

It's hard to scroll online for more than a few seconds without coming across a meme. But although it makes them easier to share, you don't need one to have the other.

These 10 things all went viral without the help of an algorithm. Here are 10 popular memes, in the days before online communication.

1
Kilroy was Here
This small drawing and phrase began popping up all over the world back before World War II, and exploded when US troops were deployed. It is thought that the image is a British doodle called "Mr. Chad," and Killroy was an American metal inspector whose name wound up on metal around the world. Thus, this silly graffiti was created.

2
Andre the Giant Has a Posse
While practicing stenciling at the Rhode Island School of Design, students Shepard Fairey and Ryan Lesser created this silly image of Andre the Giant in 1989. They then plastered copies of the image all over town, and the “meme” blew up.

3
Frodo Lives
After the release of the The Lord of the Rings books in paperback, their popularity soared. Hippies used Frodo Baggins as a symbol, meaning someone oppressed by the system and forced to participate in it. Thus, “Frodo Lives” graffiti was a small form of social protest.
4
The Sator Square
In ancient Rome, a man created a square along with the phrase "SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS." This phrase is a palindrome in all directions, and roughly translates to "the sower is at the plow.” As silly as that is, the square became a popular carving in stones across Europe for the next few thousand years.

5
Alfred E. Neuman
While this Alfred E. Neuman cartoon went on to become the face of Mad magazine, it originated back in Ireland with the racist characters "Paddy" and "Bridget" from English propaganda. After a few redesigns, the gap-toothed child took form.
6
Chain Letters
You might get Facebook messages urging you to “send this frog to 10 people for good luck,” but the concept of a “chain letter” has been around since before social media. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, they were just real letters you sent to your friends.
7
Three Hares
All the way back around 500 AD, this Chinese symbol eventually spread across Europe, becoming a feature in plenty of architecture.

8
Quoting
Instead of quoting internet memes, we memorized entire segments of movies, television shows, comedy specials, and more. Hitting your friends with the perfect relevant reference was the equivalent of sending the most tasteful meme.
9
Orson Welles for Findus
In 1970, Orson Welles was contracted to read an advertisement for the Swedish frozen food company Findus. He obviously felt that the work was beneath him, and made quite a mockery in bts clips. The clips were played on radio stations in the 1970s, and instantly became a classic.
10
The “S”
If you were cool in school, then you knew how to draw this super “S.” Originally, this was the brand logo for “Stussy,” a clothing company.