GentleMinions is a physical manifestation of the Tickets to X meme, which humorously flips audience stereotypes for particular movies and the Fernanfloo Dresses Up meme. That meme, which shows YouTuber Fernanfloo in casual and formal wear subverted the idea of dress codes. So for example, casual wear for a family funeral, a smart suit for a Minions movie. It was this subversive, slightly risque irony that led to conversations across social media about the comedy of arriving for a Minions movie in formal wear. The first video of the ironic phenomenon was posted on June 30th and inspired numerous similar attempts, which continue to be documented on social media.

Minions 2 is the latest blockbuster to become entwined with meme culture after Sony re-released Morbius in response to the comic "It's Morbin' Time" catchphrase meme. However, unlike Sony, Universal appears to be benefitting from the attention that the GentleMinions trend is drawing to Minions: The Rise of Gru. How much of an impact these young social media users have made on the movie's box office will be difficult to ascertain, but it's hard to deny that they're one audience group that wasn't factored into Universal's initial projections.