{"slug":"south-park-underpants-gnomes","name":"South Park Underpants Gnomes","url":"/templates/south-park-underpants-gnomes.jpg","w":1280,"h":720,"top":"","bottom":"","description":"Make a South Park Underpants Gnomes meme. The gnomes' business plan shows Phase 1, Phase 2 (a big red question mark), and Phase 3 (Profit). The missing middle step is the joke.","keywords":"underpants gnomes meme, south park gnomes meme, phase 1 phase 2 profit meme, step 1 step 3 profit, missing step meme, south park business plan","year":1998,"origin":"From the South Park episode \"Gnomes\" (Season 2, Episode 17). A gnome presents their business plan on a whiteboard: \"PHASE 1: Collect Underpants, PHASE 2: ?, PHASE 3: Profit.\" The joke is the completely missing middle step. The image shows the presentation board with \"PHASE 1\", \"PHASE 2\", and \"PHASE 3\" across the top, a giant red \"?\" under Phase 2, and \"Profit\" in red under Phase 3. A gnome stands at the bottom. Users fill in Phase 1 (what they are doing) and Phase 2 (the missing plan) to mock bad strategies.","format":"template","textBoxes":[{"label":"Phase 1 (The Action)","x":14.7,"y":47.2,"w":22.1,"h":25,"placeholder":"What you are doing","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#000000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":28,"opacity":1},{"label":"Phase 2 (The Mystery)","x":38.2,"y":47.2,"w":25,"h":25,"placeholder":"???","fontFamily":"Arial","fontColor":"#CC0000","strokeWidth":0,"isBold":true,"isAllCaps":false,"textAlign":"center","fontSize":28,"opacity":1}],"exampleCaptions":["COLLECT DATA","???"],"exampleAltText":"South Park Underpants Gnomes meme with phase 1 collect data and phase 2 being a mystery","exampleRefreshDate":"2026-05-17","howToMake":["Open the South Park Underpants Gnomes template with the business plan board","Fill the Phase 1 text box with your action or starting step","Fill the Phase 2 text box with the missing or mysterious middle step (or leave it as \"???\")","Phase 3 \"Profit\" is already baked into the image","Download your foolproof business plan"],"seo":{"aliases":["Gnomes Business Plan","Phase 1 Phase 3 Profit","South Park Profit Meme","Underpants Gnomes Plan","Step 1 Step 3 Profit","Missing Step Meme"],"description":"A South Park whiteboard presentation. \"PHASE 1\", \"PHASE 2\", and \"PHASE 3\" span the top in bold serif text, separated by lines. Below Phase 2 sits an enormous red question mark. Below Phase 3, the word \"Profit\" in matching red. A small gnome in a pointed hat stands at the bottom, presenting this plan with full confidence. The Phase 1 area and the question mark area are where your text goes.","definition":"The Underpants Gnomes business plan from South Park: Phase 1 (action), Phase 2 (?), Phase 3 (Profit). Used to mock plans with a critical missing step.","useCases":[{"category":"Business & Startups","examples":["MAKE AN APP / ??? / PROFIT","GET VENTURE CAPITAL / ??? / IPO","BUILD A FOLLOWING / ??? / MONETIZE"]},{"category":"Life Plans","examples":["GO TO COLLEGE / ??? / CAREER","BUY A LOTTERY TICKET / ??? / RETIRE","START A SIDE HUSTLE / ??? / QUIT MY JOB"]},{"category":"Questionable Strategies","examples":["ARGUE WITH STRANGERS ONLINE / ??? / WIN","STAY UP ALL NIGHT / ??? / BE PRODUCTIVE TOMORROW"]}]}}