Someecards most popular Valentines Day cards of 2014. (Courtesy Someecards)
Its been said that the Facebook generation no longer writes letters or sends cards to show affection. But we do send Someecards, and in vast numbers the wildly popular comedy site, maker of all those sardonic, pastel-colored memes in your timeline today, averages 100 million monthly impressions on Facebook alone.
But Someecards dont necessarily express affection. Theyre also cynical and brutally honest, in an Onion kind of way. (When you care enough to hit send, is the sites tongue-in-cheek tagline.) And that, along with the cards rampant virality on Facebook, Pinterest and other social platforms, makes them an interesting lens for viewing love (or its modern proxies) in the social media age.
Most popular Valentine, 2013
As far as trends, says Brook Lundy, Someecards co-founder and president, people seem to seek out increasingly topical cards for Valentines Day. Both of the sites top cards this year involved the Olympics; two years ago, Ryan Gosling was all the rage.
Most popular Valentine, 2012
But theres another, more interesting change going on here: As time progresses, people seem to care less and less about the holiday.
The other trend is that everyone gets more and more jaded about Valentines Day every year so we try to adapt to that in new ways as in, what are the appropriate ways to make fun of it? Lundy wrote in an e-mail. What does a sad night alone look like in 2014? Which social media do you need to avoid? What does romance look like these days? How little effort do people want to put into this holiday?
Most popular Valentine, 2011
Its difficult to pinpoint an exact reason for that shift it could have to do more with the type of people who use social media, and who use Someecards, than with any larger change in the culture itself.
Most popular Valentine, 2010
Most popular Valentine, 2009
But it could also have a lot to do with the fact that sincerity, in ecards or any other form, is typically not cool online. (See, for instance, the fall of Ryan OConnell or the rise of snark.)
Most popular Valentine, 2008
Which means that, on social media at least, 2007s card may be the most romantic we ever get.
Most popular Valentine, 2007
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Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/02/14/what-8-years-of-valentines-day-memes-teaches-us-about-modern-love/
