#FollowFriday - Miller Yoho and the already legendary GIF wars
In case you have been living under a rock in the past 48 hours, #GIFWarsCLT is Blowing. Up.
How I feel about #GIFWarsCLT @MR_Yoho @GarrettTichy (ps, remember THAT music video on SBTB?!) pic.twitter.com/OC4esPkSyk
— Michelle (@MJonesCLT) April 9, 2015
//><!--Basically, it’s a contest to see who can create the best GIF every day, based on a theme. Talk about a time suck.//--><!
Hanging at @FuManChuCupCake attempting to get some work done now #GIFWarsCLT is over. #adultsohard
— Amber Donoghue (@Betterthanitwas) April 9, 2015
The hashtag was trending on Twitter for 4 hours on Wednesday (Theme: “Hump Day”), and on Thursday (Theme:’80s music videos), it started trending again at 11 a.m.
We chatted with Miller Yoho, @MR_Yoho, one of the masterminds behind #GIFWarsCLT.
Q. Was #GIFWarsCLT all your idea?
My friend Andrew Au (@andrewhau) is my partner in crime in terms of our love of GIFs. I started (the wars) thinking it would last a week and would get a few tweets. I was completely wrong.
Oh hey #GIFWarsCLT is trending again. pic.twitter.com/pwl5G0P3ha
— Miller Yoho (@MR_Yoho) April 9, 2015
Q. Where did the idea come from?
For my day job I run the @belkbowl twitter account and we use a lot of GIFs and other media to make it interactive. Since it is the offseason I was looking for a way to have fun and stay sharp on social media…and this happened.
I was about to do something important but then I decided to cut loose #GIFWarsCLT pic.twitter.com/BNBDSzsKVl
— Adam Frazier (@AdamFrazier) April 9, 2015
Q. Who picks themes?
Currently me. Though I do want to eventually have guest hosts some weeks who pick themes and the winners.
Q. Um where do I sign up for that??!! Groundrules?
Stay within the theme and use the hashtag #GIFWarsCLT…that is it! Oh and maybe encourage all of your followers to join the fun.
Today’s #GIFWarsCLT theme makes me want to start dancing in the street. pic.twitter.com/2A0k7R0b9f
— Corley May (@corley_may) April 9, 2015
Q. Who picks the winners and when are they announced?
Right now I do, which is way more pressure than I expected. I try to pick someone by 5pm or I will post what time I will tweet the ruling.
Q. What makes a good GIF?
There are so many GIFs you can use that it is impossible to really define this. For me it needs to be fun, help tell a story and hopefully have a pop culture reference. If you are like me, who is totally obsessed with GIFs yet I have no idea how to make one, here is a great resource to help you become the next #GIFWarsCLT winner. You’re welcome.
#GIFWarsCLT needs more #TOLDOZER pic.twitter.com/oLtH3JiiZT
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 9, 2015
The Winners
Media theme on Wednesday, 1st place winner: @theoriginalmick
My #GIFWarsCLT submission. There’s a subtle south park reference in there somewhere… #HumpDay pic.twitter.com/HgNDQW4YXf — Mick (@theoriginalmick) April 8, 2015
’80s music theme on Thursday, 1st place winner: @iamkatyhill:
Because love (and #GIFWarsCLT) is a battlefield. #withsomebettywhiteforgoodmeasure pic.twitter.com/4edTKBRG2U
— Katy Hill (@iamkatyhill) April 9, 2015
My favorite from Thursday: By @corley_may:
@MR_Yoho @andrewhau All’s fair in love and #GIFWarsCLT pic.twitter.com/WAkGge3Qqw
— Corley May (@corley_may) April 9, 2015
And I really appreciated this piece of advice from Tim Cheadle (@timcheadle) :
Mass posting every 80s video you can find for #GIFWarsCLT? That’s just poor form. http://t.co/OlHNmTtkkU Step it up! — Tim Cheadle (@timcheadle) April 9, 2015
Cover photo: AP/NBC file
This story was originally published April 9, 2015 at 1:09 PM with the headline "#FollowFriday - Miller Yoho and the already legendary GIF wars."