The Herman Cain meme primarily stems from a 2012 presidential campaign advertisement featuring the candidate slowly breaking into a wide, lingering smile. This peculiar and prolonged expression became an instant internet sensation, often paired with his signature '9-9-9' tax plan or used as a reaction to unexpected good news. While the 'Herman Cain Award' later became a separate phenomenon on social media regarding public health stances, the original meme remains a staple of early 2010s political internet culture, celebrated for its awkward charm and cinematic pacing. It is typically used to convey a sense of satisfaction, smugness, or a slow realization of a plan coming together.