An exclusive interview with the creator of the Popular Meme Account, Money Methodist.
By Lucy Ladis
Southern Millionaires, Super Model, Snowy Mountian Univeristy. These are but a few of the many common nicknames used by meme accounts like Money Methodist to poke fun at the SMU stereotypes. From Greek life to sports and exams, there is an endless supply of campus life to skewer, and Money Methodist never misses an opportunity.
Founded four years ago by a student who remains anonymous, the main goal of Money Methodist was to be a fan page for dining hall star Derrick Page. The page has since evolved to include memes about the general stereotypes on campus.
At first, they didn’t always know what was going to resonate with followers, he says. Over time, however, “I got better at making stuff, understanding what they wanted and what works with the algorithm, then it grew to the point where now people actually like it.”
Now the creator is a senior and has a difficult decision to make: what to do with the account. The creator hinted at selling the account and passing it down to the next anonymous memester.
Today the page has 14.2 thousand followers, a close second to SMU Barstool, another meme account owned by digital media company Barstool Sports. Money Methodist hopes to surpass its competitor soon and remains competitive by posting more consistently.
Unlike other accounts or popular apps like Fizz, the creator likes to focus on the general stereotypes that all students can relate to.
“I get a lot of content sent into me and a lot of different meme ideas from people that I have to sift through,” Money Methodist said. “Because my effort in doing all this is to make fun of stereotypes, not groups.”
After gaining widespread campus attention, it was only natural that the creator wanted a way to monetize the account. Thus the Money Methodist merch drop was born. If you haven’t seen the newest drop it features the iconic Snow Mountian University set against a vintage backdrop. A chic combination of SMU meme and après-ski culture.
Money Methodist, Snow Mountain Crew Neck, $35
And don’t worry if you’ve seen Money Methodist lurking in your comments – it’s all in good nature. The creator likes to keep up a presence so the algorithm and students continue to see their content.
One thing you won’t see anytime soon, though, is Money Methodist’s face. If you’re still wondering who the meme master is, we won’t be getting a face reveal anytime soon.
They don’t think their identity matters to the success of the account or the quality of the memes.
“Is it better being anonymous,” they ask, “or is it better with a face?”
