Why the Mona Lisa Is the Original Meme — And What Brands Can Learn From It
Reading Time: 10 minutesThe Mona Lisa isn’t just the most famous painting in the world—she’s the original meme. Long before social media, she spread through scandal, satire, and reproduction. This essay unpacks how her image became a self-replicating brand, and what today’s marketers and creators can learn from her 500-year reign as the ultimate viral icon.