Friday, September 14, 2012

Creating an Internet meme is hard

Taking a cue from the success of Hot Chicks of Occupy Wall Street, this week I created a similar website with a sexy twist on a major news story.
My site, Hot Chicago Teachers on Strike, was cut short Friday when the Chicago Teachers Union came to terms with the city’s school adminstrators. The strike is over after five days and so is the steady stream of photos of attractive female teachers out picketing. 
I hadn’t publicized the site, which was built on the Tumblr blogging platform. Frankly I thought the strike would go on a little longer. But after 26 posts, I pulled the plug on it.
It was my second attempt to create an Internet meme with Tumblr. My first, Celebrities vs. the TSA, is still going strong, but isn’t a break-out success. I just think it’s fun to needle the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, a bloated, ineffectual agency that needs to be reformed. 
The truth is that creating an Internet meme takes creativity, self-promotion, good timing and luck. It’s not easy, but maybe one day I’ll find the right recipe.

Update (Sept. 16, 2012): The Chicago Teachers Union has decided to continue striking. So hopefully more photos of hot Chicago teachers on strike will be forthcoming. 

Update (March 5, 2014): Photos moved to Flickr page called Hot Chicago Teachers on Strike.

Photo: Striking Chicago teachers (Zimbio).

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