# Trade Offer > Trade Offer is a 2021 image-macro exploitable from TikToker @bradeazy presenting comically lopsided barter deals in a business suit with captions 'I receive' and 'You receive. Trade Offer is a meme format originating from TikTok in early 2021 where a person proposes a comically lopsided barter deal, with captions reading "I receive" and "You receive." The format took off after TikToker @bradeazy posted a video of himself in a business suit formally presenting an absurd exchange, and the still image from that video became one of the most widely used exploitable templates of spring 2021[1]. ## Origin The format traces back to November 12, 2020, when TikTok user @natebellamy4 posted a video using a jingle from the 2020 NBA Draft[4]. He captioned it "Trade proposal to God," jokingly offering to swap several living public figures for several deceased ones. The video picked up over 683,700 views but didn't immediately spark imitators[4]. The trend didn't ignite until March 2021. On March 8, TikToker @tylertctv posted his own "trade offer to God" video, pulling in over 440,000 views[4]. Within days, users like @schmuellersvibechamber, @macncheesegrrl, and @jushlarsen posted early versions that racked up between 295,000 and over 1 million views each[4]. Then came @bradeazy. Prior to March 18, 2021, he posted a version where he stood in a business suit, fingers steepled, offering nothing in exchange for a "sloppy toppy"[3]. The original TikTok was later deleted, but he reposted it to Instagram on March 18, where it picked up over 11,000 likes[4]. That same day, iFunny user ChipSkylark reposted the video, earning over 42,100 smiles after being featured on the platform[4]. - **Platform:** TikTok (video format), Reddit / iFunny (image macro spread) - **Creator:** @natebellamy4 (earliest known video), @bradeazy (iconic template version) - **Date:** 2021 ## Overview The Trade Offer meme uses a simple two-column layout. One side shows what "I receive" and the other shows what "You receive." The joke is almost always that the deal is wildly unfair, with one party getting something amazing while the other gets nothing or something terrible[1]. The format parodies trade request screens from video games and sports drafts, giving everyday complaints and observations the veneer of a formal business negotiation[3]. The most recognizable version features a still frame of TikToker @bradeazy standing in formal attire with his fingers pressed together, looking directly at the camera with a confident expression. The text "Trade Offer" appears across the top, with the two offer columns below[2]. Both video and image versions circulate widely, though the static image macro proved easier to remix and spread across platforms[4]. ## How It Spread The meme's real explosion came in late March 2021. @bradeazy's video and a still image captured from it spread rapidly across platforms[4]. Between March 18 and April 3, bradeazy posted four additional Trade Offer videos to TikTok, each racking up hundreds of thousands of views[2]. On March 18, iFunny user Buffchicks_likedick posted one of the earliest derivative memes based on bradeazy's video, swapping the caption to reference "A Bionicals lego Set"[4]. On March 29, an anonymous user created a Team Fortress 2-themed version that circulated heavily across gaming communities[4]. By April 2, a post on Reddit's r/196 subreddit pulled in over 17,000 upvotes in four days[4]. Reddit was one of the first platforms outside TikTok to go all-in on the format. Top trending posts across multiple subreddits featured variations covering everything from pets to fictional characters to companies[2]. The template's simplicity made it easy to adapt. Users applied it to critique streaming services, mock tangled headphones, joke about pet behavior, and roast corporate pricing practices[1]. By early April 2021, the still image from bradeazy's video had fully taken on a life of its own as an exploitable template and a base for fan redraws[4]. @bradeazy leaned into the trend, posting new versions in different outfits and costumes. His first few videos in the format pulled nearly 4 million views, with most subsequent Trade Offer videos landing between 300,000 and 800,000 views each[2]. ## How to Use The Trade Offer format works best for pointing out lopsided exchanges, whether real or exaggerated. The standard approach: 1. Start with the header "Trade Offer" (often preceded by a warning emoji: ⚠️). 2. Write what "I receive" on one side. This is typically the good end of the deal. 3. Write what "You receive" on the other side. This is usually nothing, something worthless, or something actively bad. 4. The humor comes from how uneven the trade is. The more absurd the imbalance, the better[1]. ## Cultural Impact The Trade Offer meme became a go-to format for criticizing companies and products that don't offer fair value to consumers[1]. Its "I receive / You receive" framing gave people a clean, visual way to express frustration with one-sided deals, from streaming service price hikes to mobile game monetization. The Russian-language internet picked up the format under the name "Я получу / Ты получишь" (I will get / You will get), with Memepedia documenting its spread as a parody of in-game trade mechanics and sports transfers[3]. The template crossed language barriers easily because the visual structure required minimal translation. @bradeazy himself became a minor internet celebrity through the format, building a following on TikTok by regularly producing new Trade Offer videos on trending topics[2]. ## Fun Facts - The 2020 NBA Draft jingle became the unofficial soundtrack of the meme, linking basketball culture to a format that had nothing to do with sports[4]. - The earliest known derivative based on bradeazy's video was about Bionicle Lego sets, posted the same day the video hit iFunny[4]. - The Russian meme community treats the format as a parody of video game trade systems, giving it a slightly different cultural context than the English-language version[3]. - @bradeazy's original TikTok was deleted, and the meme's canonical form survives only through reposts and screenshots[4]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the Trade Offer meme? Trade Offer is a meme format where someone proposes a comically unfair exchange, with captions showing "I receive" and "You receive." The most iconic version features TikToker @bradeazy in a business suit[1]. ### Where did the Trade Offer meme come from? The format originated on TikTok in November 2020 with a video by @natebellamy4, but it didn't go viral until March 2021 when @bradeazy posted his version in formal attire[4]. ### What does the Trade Offer meme mean? It's used to point out lopsided deals and unfair exchanges, whether in relationships, business, gaming, or everyday life. The humor comes from how one-sided the proposed trade is[1]. ### How do you use the Trade Offer meme? Write "Trade Offer" at the top, then fill in what each side receives. The funnier and more unequal the exchange, the better. Templates are available on Imgflip and similar generators[1]. ### Is the Trade Offer meme still popular? The meme peaked in spring 2021 with millions of views across TikTok and Reddit. While no longer at peak virality, the format still gets used for topical jokes[2]. ### Who is @bradeazy? A TikTok creator whose video of himself in a suit presenting an absurd trade became the defining template for the meme. His first Trade Offer videos hit nearly 4 million views[2]. ### What was the original Trade Offer video about? @bradeazy's original (now deleted) video offered nothing in exchange for a "sloppy toppy." The video was reposted to Instagram on March 18, 2021[4]. ### Who started the Trade Offer format before @bradeazy? TikTok user @natebellamy4 posted the first known version on November 12, 2020, using the NBA Draft jingle to propose a "trade to God"[4]. ### Why does the Trade Offer meme use basketball music? The background jingle comes from the 2020 NBA Draft broadcast. The earliest versions of the format parodied sports trade proposals before evolving into a general-purpose template[4]. ### Where did the Trade Offer meme spread first outside TikTok? Reddit and iFunny were among the first platforms to adopt the format in late March 2021, with Reddit's r/196 producing a post that hit 17,000 upvotes[4]. ## References 1. [Trade offer meme: its origins, meaning and usage]() 2. [People Online Are Cracking Up At These “Trade Offer” Memes | Bored Panda]() 3. [Я получу X, ты получишь Y - что за мем Trade offer в тиктоке]() 4. [Trade Offer - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Meme coin]() 6. [Trade Offer - Urban Dictionary]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/trade-offer Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library