Why meme marketing is the way forward

10X Industry

Rushika Bhatia
10X Industry
Published:

Why meme marketing is the way forward

Given the dynamic, competitive and ever-changing nature of markets globally, a business must deliver a message that sticks with the customer. In today's day and age, we are all admittedly surfing the Internet for a major part of the day. While doing so, we come across memes, viral content and social media challenges.

Do you remember spotting a duct-taped banana on your social media feed while aimlessly scrolling recently? That the innocent fruit was turned into art and was priced at a shocking $120K is something you probably knew. However, did you know that big brands capitalised on the viral incident and turned it into a marketing strategy - namely Pepsi, Burger King, Popeyes, and more? Interestingly, companies in the region jumped on the bandwagon too.

Companies should speak the language we speak. Here's why meme marketing is the way forward:

1) An assured audience

Memes are catchy, relatable and effective. Are you a self-confessed social media addict who cannot scroll past a meme without tagging a friend or double-tapping the photo? Then, you'd know exactly the kind of traction that would accompany a relatable meme.

2) Better visibility

Brands can also join or take up viral internet challenges to get noticed. The #10YearChallenge spiralled interestingly as many companies churned it into a campaign. Top guns included Zomato, Uber Eats, Acer, Google, Amul, KFC, among others. This works well because you're looking at the brand in the view of a recent trend and not just as an ordinary product or service. Since most challenges and memes are timely, they may be short-lived but garner great visibility.

3) Bizarre sells

The internet is a wonderful (albeit weird) place. Remember the egg that got millions of likes on Instagram? Anything is possible on the internet. You just have to be patient and wait for the labour of your fruit (banana).

4) Universality

While memes can be niche, some have universal applicability. The language of memes is surely one that transcends barriers. Contrary to what may be the popular belief, memes do not only cater to millennials. They are not age or gender-specific. Millennials and the Gen Z look for memes that echo their thoughts on Twitter and Instagram, while the Gen X users may stumble upon memes on WhatsApp or Facebook.

5) Rapid consumption

Can you keep track of the number of memes you come across daily? Possibly not, because we consume these memes at an unimaginably rapid rate, despite their short lifespan. Memes make for easy, yet memorable content. Here's a templated joke that's already accepted by the Internet; all the marketer is required to do is join the bandwagon and give it his/her spin! Everyone enjoys a good laugh now and then.