What is meme marketing?
Meme marketing is a way of marketing that uses memes to promote a brand, product, or service. Memes are images, videos, or pieces of text that are often humorous or relatable, and they can be shared quickly and easily online. Meme marketing can be used to increase brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales.
Benefits of meme marketing
There are many potential benefits to using meme marketing, including:
- Increased brand awareness: Memes can be a great way to get your brand in front of a new audience. When people share memes, they essentially promote your brand to their followers.
- Increased engagement: Memes are often very engaging, and they can allow people to interact with your brand online. This can increase website visits, social media engagement, and sales.
- Improved brand image: Memes can help to create a more positive and relatable image for your brand. When people see that your brand has a good sense of humor, they are more likely to trust and respect you.
10 examples of meme marketing used by brands that benefited them
Here are 10 examples of meme marketing campaigns that have been successful for brands:
- Wendy’s: Wendy’s is known for its hilarious and relatable memes. For example, in 2017, Wendy’s tweeted a meme of a woman roasting a man for cheating on her. The meme went viral and helped to boost Wendy’s brand awareness and engagement.
- Old Spice: Old Spice used meme marketing significantly in its “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign. The campaign featured a series of funny and absurd commercials shared widely online. The campaign helped to increase Old Spice’s sales by 55%.
- Oreo: Oreo is another brand known for its creative and engaging meme marketing campaigns. For example, during the Super Bowl blackout in 2013, Oreo tweeted a meme that said, “You can still dunk in the dark.” The meme was a huge hit and helped in generating a lot of positive buzz for the brand.
- Netflix: Netflix is also a big user of meme marketing. The company often shares memes that are relevant to its shows and movies. For example, when the show “Stranger Things” was released, Netflix shared memes that were based on the show’s characters and plot. The memes helped to generate excitement and buzz for the show.
- Burger King: Burger King is another brand known for its edgy and humorous meme marketing campaigns. For example, in 2019, Burger King tweeted a meme that compared its burgers to McDonald’s burgers. The meme was controversial, but it got a lot of attention and helped boost Burger King’s sales.
- Spotify: Spotify uses meme marketing to promote its music streaming service. For example, the company often shares memes based on popular songs and artists. Spotify also uses memes to boost its features, such as personalized playlists and the Discover Weekly feature.
- Chipotle: They used meme marketing to promote healthy and sustainable fast food options. For example, in 2017, Chipotle tweeted a meme saying, “When you realize you’re the healthiest person at Chipotle.” The meme was funny and relatable, and it helped to promote Chipotle’s healthy image.
- Taco Bell: Taco Bell is known for its creative and fun meme marketing campaigns. For example, in 2019, Taco Bell launched a campaign called “Taco Bell Love Letters.” The campaign featured a series of memes that were based on love letters. The memes were funny and heartwarming, and they helped to promote Taco Bell’s brand image as a fun and relatable brand.
- Nike: Nike uses meme marketing to promote its athletic apparel and footwear. For example, in 2017, Nike tweeted a meme that said, “When you’re the only one in the gym at 5 a.m.” The meme was funny and relatable, and it helped to promote Nike’s brand image as a brand for athletes who are serious about their fitness.
- Apple: Apple uses meme marketing to promote its tech products. For example, in 2018, Apple tweeted a meme that said, “When you’re trying to take a selfie with the new iPhone X.” The meme was funny and relatable, and it helped to promote the iPhone X’s new Face ID feature.
How do you create memes for your firm to engage the audience?
Here are some tips on how to create memes for your firm to engage your audience:
- Know your audience: What kind of memes do they find funny? What topics are they interested in? Once you understand your audience’s mindset, you can start to create memes that are relevant to them.
- Be creative: There are millions of memes out there, so you need to be creative if you want your memes to stand out. Try to come up with new and original ideas, or put your own spin on existing memes.
- Keep it short and sweet: Memes are usually meant to be consumed quickly, so keep your text concise and to the point.
- Use high-quality images and videos: People are more likely to share visually appealing memes. The quality of pictures and videos should be high, and avoid using copyrighted or watermarked images.
- Add your brand to the meme: You want people to know that the meme came from your firm, so add your brand logo or name somewhere on the meme.
- Use relevant hashtags: Hashtags are a great way to get your memes seen by more people. When you share your memes on social media, use relevant hashtags so that people can find them.
Here are some additional tips:
- Be timely. If there is a current event or trend that you can tie your meme to, do it. This will make your meme more relevant and relatable to your audience.
- Be tasteful. It’s important to be respectful when creating memes, especially if you’re using them to promote your firm. Avoid creating memes that are offensive, sexist, or racist.
- Don’t overuse memes. Using memes too often can make your firm seem unprofessional. Use them sparingly to make the biggest impact.
Disadvantages of meme marketing
While meme marketing can be a very effective way to promote your brand, there are also some potential disadvantages to be aware of:
- Memes can be offensive: If you’re not careful, your memes could offend your audience. This can lead to negative backlash for your brand.
- Memes can be short-lived: Memes often have a short shelf life, so your memes may not be relevant for very long. This means that you’ll need to create new memes on a regular basis.
- Memes can be challenging to track: It can be difficult to track the effectiveness of meme marketing campaigns. This is because memes are often shared on various platforms, and monitoring how many people have seen and engaged with your memes can be challenging.
5 meme marketing tips so that it doesn’t become a disadvantage:
Here are 5 meme marketing tips so that it doesn’t become a disadvantage:
- Be respectful: Avoid creating memes that are offensive, sexist, or racist.
- Be timely: Create memes that are relevant to daily life events and trends.
- Be creative: Don’t just copy and paste popular memes. Put your own spin on them or come up with new and original ideas.
- Don’t overuse memes: Use memes sparingly to make the biggest impact.
- Track your results: Social media analytics tools can be used to track the performance of your meme marketing campaigns. This will help you identify which memes are working well and which are not.
Conclusion
Meme marketing can be an effective way to promote your brand and engage your audience. However, it’s vital to use meme marketing carefully and ethically. By following the tips above, you can create meme marketing campaigns that are both effective and respectful.
Frequently Asked Questions on meme marketing
Q: What are the different types of memes?
A: There are many different types of memes, but some of the most popular include:
- Image macros: These memes feature an image with text overlaid on top.
- Video memes: These memes feature a short video clip with text overlaid on top.
- Gif memes: These memes feature a short loop of animated images.
- Reaction images: These memes feature images of people reacting to something, often in a humorous way.
Q: What are some of the best meme marketing platforms?
A: Some of the best meme marketing platforms include:
- TikTok
Q: How can I measure the success of my meme marketing campaigns?
A: There are a few different ways to measure the success of your meme marketing campaigns. The number of shares, likes, and comments that your memes receive can help you track the success of your meme marketing strategy. The amount of website traffic that your memes generate is also a suitable track.