To Meme or Not to Meme?

To go viral with organic content in 2022 is to hit the social media jackpot. Many brands, from household names to Series A startups, chase that dream by jumping onto existing marketing trends. Among them, memes are the most plentiful — and they’re hot in the Millennial and Gen Z markets.

Memes are nearly ubiquitous on social media around the world today. And if you think you haven’t encountered them recently, think again. Gorgeous, gorgeous girls. The vibe shift. She’s a 10. The plot to raid Area 51 in Nevada, Adam Levigne.

Any viral internet joke that can be adapted and co-opted by other users can be classified as a meme. And today, the impact even extends beyond social media. Thousands of teen boys attended the movie theatre this year for the debut of Minions: The Rise of Gru, wearing three-piece suits “for the ‘gram.” Recently, users on Reddit and Twitter disrupted the crypto industry by investing in certain bitcoin as part of a meme. 

In terms of numbers, research tells us that more than 75% of internet users between 13 and 36 share memes with their friends. As that number continues to grow, brands have increasingly invested time and share of marketing budget into jumping onto the latest viral trends. 

But participating in these marketing trends can be a dangerous game for brands; the stakes are often as high as the payoff. Every brand wants to be on trend, but not every brand is suited for every trend. My advice? Do it sparingly, and do it well. In this article, I’ll walk you through some best practices to help you determine whether a meme marketing play is right for your brand.

What Are the Risks Associated with Meme Marketing?

While marketing memes can be powerful assets for your owned content campaigns, generating engagement and reach is not guaranteed. A poorly-executed meme post can be perceived by your social media followers as disingenuous, and risks distorting your brand image and alienating your target market. 

An off-brand meme post can dilute your core brand messaging and, counterproductively, distract from the key points you want to deliver to your target audience. Before executing a meme marketing initiative, ask yourself: Does this particular meme align with my overall branding strategy? Unless the answer is a resounding yes, your company is most likely better off spending those marketing dollars elsewhere. 

Further, brands without expertise in pop culture and intergenerational marketing trends might miss the mark and make an off-putting post that could inspire mockery or even public backlash. For example, some brands faced public outrage for co-opting memes about the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars; users cited tone-deaf messaging and exploitation of violence to encourage sales.

Other brands have faced criticism for missing the mark with inauthentic attempts to relate to younger generations of customers. That phenomenon recently spiraled into its own meme, the “Silence, Brand!” trend, which calls big-name brands to carpet for creating out-of-touch, cringe-worthy content.

For marketing teams, an ill-conceived meme post can also result in logistical issues. Spreading your team’s attention to a new type of post — from research, to design, to copywriting and approvals — absorbs a great deal of time. Those lost hours can hurt your bottom line, if the post is ineffective and fails to move the needle for your digital marketing goals. Further, marketing memes might generate engagement, but the internal result is increased time to monitor, create and seed new content that ultimately doesn’t capture your brand message. For small businesses and in-house marketing teams, the cost of that wasted time is particularly high.

What Are the Marketing Benefits of a Well-Executed Meme?

Calculating the return-on-investment — and weighing it against your broader strategic marketing goals — is imperative. Then, if the right considerations are made, the benefits of a meme marketing play can be immensely valuable. 

If a meme is authentically reflective of your brand personality and posted at a strategically opportune time, it can generate increased visibility. A successful meme encourages users to share, adapt, comment on, and re-post your content. 

Some marketing trends have even earned press coverage for the brands who have capitalised on them successfully. One lucky toy brand, American Girl, itself became the subject of a viral meme trend just last month. Other brands, like Chipotle and Netflix, have established reputations for consistently strong meme marketing plays, winning favor amongst their armies of loyal Twitter followers. 

For brands that create relevant content that’s also true to the company’s perceived online persona, the core benefits are increased relevancy and a boost in visibility. A relatable meme can help your brand to grow its digital footprint and expand your audience into new sectors. Further, due to the strong subtext and “inside joke” nature of the meme format, it also allows brands to communicate a salient point quickly and intuitively, without very little social media copy required. As any social media marketer knows, the Holy Grail of copywriting lies at the intersection of conciseness and impact.

When Should Brands Attempt a Marketing Meme? – A Checklist

Before embarking on a meme marketing journey, you should carefully consider the impact on your broader marketing strategy. To be successful, it is important that you have a deep understanding of your brand identity. 

Authenticity is at the core of a successfully branded meme, so take care to understand your audience, your key messaging, your brand persona and your strategic goals for social media engagement. (If you’re unsure about these elements, our branding experts can help you get started.) 

Here are a few guiding questions to consider, before jumping on board with future marketing trends:

• Where is your audience?

1. 1. Often, specific memes are most effective on only one or two social media platforms. It’s important to consider whether your target market is on that same platform. For example, if your brand wants to participate in a Tik Tok trend, but your audience is mostly using Facebook, a Tik Tok post won’t reach that market. However, if a meme is trending on Twitter and a majority of your target customer base are active Twitter users, then that meme might be a good fit. 

• Is humor on brand for you?

1. 1. Most memes are humorous by design — that’s what makes them fun to share and participate in. But humor doesn’t work for every brand. If you’re a liquor brand targeting college-aged customers, humor might be an effective way to garner attention. But, if your business is a funeral home, a comical approach might just alienate your customers during a time of personal grief. Consider your brand persona, and adhere to it.

• What is your goal?

1. 1. At the end of the day, marketing exists to make money for your business. Before executing any type of social media post — especially a risky format like a meme — define what you want to achieve. Are you trying to make more sales? Build your brand personality? Generate engagement? Determine whether that particular meme post will really move the dial on the success of your marketing operations. 

As with most marketing tactics, the best approach is to stick closely to what makes sense for your specific brand. Resist the pressure and temptation to follow the crowd. After all, attempting to force a humorous moment is a reliable way to miss the mark. In the battle to differentiate yourself and your brand, authenticity is the key to impact. So stick to your brand ideals, and proceed with caution. Even the most creative idea is only as effective as the quality of the execution. 

If you’re interested in exploring your brand persona or learning how trends in marketing can make an impact for your brand, our expert marketing professionals at Three Piece marketing are here to help. Reach out anytime.