If LinkedIn Jobs Were Action Figures: The Meme That Mirrors How Branded Our Work Lives Have Become

A person is working on a laptop inside a cozy café, surrounded by greenery and natural light, with a bicycle parked outside the window.

From Social Media Managers with protein shakes to Startup Bros with standing desks, this viral trend is more than just a punchline—it’s a cultural mirror.

It started with a scroll. A little plastic man named Ben, decked in black sneakers, a puffer vest, and an espresso shot, encased in pristine action figure packaging with a title that read: Ben – Social Media Manager. Lined up beside him were his essentials: a MacBook, AirPods, Guinness, and a MyProtein shaker.

Playful? Yes. Harmless? Maybe. But if you pause, this viral LinkedIn trend—these toy-box versions of modern professionals—says something deeper about how we see ourselves in the workplace.

We’re no longer just doing our jobs—we’re performing them. Curating an aesthetic. Crafting a persona. Almost like… collectibles.

Packaging the Persona

This isn’t just another meme. These action figure posts are highly stylised critiques of today’s professional branding culture. Each figure comes with signature “tools”—those objects that scream identity at first glance. A coffee cup here. A MacBook there. A tote bag if you’re in UX design. A ring light if you’re in content.

And just like that, our professions are turned into archetypes. Funny at first, until you realise: aren’t we kind of playing into it every day?

The Rise of the “Work Persona"

Our LinkedIn bios, “day in the life” reels, even our WFH desk setups—they all feed into a modern mythology of what certain jobs look like.

• A designer is soft-spoken, minimalist, owns an oat milk frother.

• A marketer is extroverted, coffee-addicted, speaks in Canva slides.

• A tech bro is wellness-obsessed, wears Allbirds, and microdoses focus.

The line between reality and performance blurs. The self becomes brand. And like any brand, it needs packaging.

Why We’re Obsessed

There’s something oddly comforting in fitting into a box—literally. These faux-action figures play on our desire to belong, and to find visual language for abstract roles. And they’re also a clever cultural coping mechanism. In a world of layoffs, job fatigue, and identity crises, why not laugh a little at the absurdity of our own professional theatre?

It’s nostalgia + satire + branding psychology rolled into one delightful, hyper-specific scroll moment. And it works.

A Mirror, Not Just a Meme

But here’s the thing. These figures aren’t just making fun—they’re revealing how deeply aestheticised our jobs have become. We don’t just have roles. We have vibes. And those vibes are increasingly being shaped by what we consume, wear, post, and even drink.

The Ben figure isn’t just funny. It’s familiar. Because we’ve all seen him. In meetings. On Reels. In ourselves.

The Packaging of Mahi: When Your CV Becomes a Collectible

Figurine depicting a digital content strategist, complete with accessories like a laptop, SEO keywords, Pinterest board, trend forecast books, and iced coffee, reflecting a creative strategist's workspace.

Naturally, I had to make my own.

Meet: Mahi – Digital Content Strategist

Aesthetic: Oversized pastel blazer, pink-tinted MacBook, iced coffee in hand

Accessories:

• Pinterest moodboard

• SEO playbook

• Trend forecast documents

• A digital journal

• And of course, a tiny “Curation Edit” logo, stamped in the top corner

Each element is a narrative. My uniform. My tools. My vibe. And just like that, my professional identity is no longer a two-page PDF—it’s a toy on a shelf. And it speaks louder.

Create Your Own Action Figure CV

Want to turn your role into a collectible character? Here’s how to do it:

Ask Yourself:

• What’s your go-to “uniform” at work?

• What five items would be in your packaging?

• What’s your superpower at work—and how would it be represented visually?

  
  

Prompt for AI tools like DALL·E or Midjourney:

“A 3D action figure of a [insert job title], displayed in a clear plastic blister package with a minimalist white design. The figure resembles a [physical + stylistic description]. Accessories include [4–5 specific items tied to the role]. Include bold white text at the top with the person’s name and job title, and a logo symbol in the top right corner. Style: clean, cartoonish, collectible toy aesthetic.”

No AI? Use Canva or Photoshop

Search “toy packaging mockup” and build your figure manually—add in photos, doodles, or stock imagery. Then post it with pride. Your CV just got a rebrand.

This meme may look like satire, but it holds up a truth: in 2025, jobs aren’t just roles—they’re narratives. Personas. Brands. And we’re all finding new ways to tell our story—visually, playfully, aesthetically.

So the next time someone asks for your resume, maybe just send them a picture of your action figure.

It might say more than words ever could.