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Put another way, sloganeering, and the brain-dead adoption of slogans, has always been a thing. Someone less lazy than me could probably dig up examples going back to ancient Rome. "Meme Activism" is just the latest iteration of "I Like Ike" or "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too." What has changed to some degree is the speed and intensity with which the slogans can impact public figures.

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"Elect Gaius Julius Polybius to the office of aedile. He provides good bread" - graffiti found at Pompeii

Perhaps it was thought or believed that an increased availability of education, in general, had curbed the effectiveness of these types of persuasive methods. Although, it's probable that you are right and they never subsided; only adapting to a new environment and mostly dismissed as outdated in hindsight.

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