The What Meme

Typically it's used as a reaction image to express confusion or disbelief, but originally it was used to describe a deliberate attempt to cover up a murder.

Origin of  The What Meme

The what meme has its origins in an old Rug Doctor advertisement. It can be found in a wide variety of stores, but also comes with Rug Doctor products and rentals. 

What exact date this ad originated is uncertain, but according to TinEye, the earliest found example online dates back to 24th November, 2014.

Redditor kittty_velor first used the ad in a meme format on Reddit on June 26th, 2017.

This post received over 99 comments and 5,300 upvotes.

The What Meme Examples

When the what meme gained traction, more people became aware of the original advert with

the product that was pasted up all over the country. On October 21st, 2019, Redditor hmmmYah

uploaded a photo of the ad from the what meme Corner in the r/teenagers sub, receiving 9,100

upvotes and 36 comments.