Rick Newman, Senior PR and Marketing Executive:

• How do memes influence our society?
• Should brands embrace meme culture?
• Have memes changed the way we communicate?

Do you remember the first meme you ever saw? Perhaps it was the ‘philosoraptor’, the iconic ‘troll face’, or my personal favourite, the ‘I can has cheezburger cat’. Regardless of which image or video was your gateway meme, they are now no longer just a part of niche internet humour – they have become integral to how we communicate and even have the power to shape cultural narratives. 

With their ability to go viral in an instant, memes have become an incredibly powerful tool within marketing, but not all memes are created equal. Brands should consider the potential ramifications of engaging with the latest meme before attaching themselves to an emerging trend. But before we delve into the potential pitfalls of memes, let’s explore how they became such an integral part of the digital lexicon.

How it started vs how it’s going 

The word ‘meme’ is credited as being first coined by legendary biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976 to describe the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s, on websites like 4Chan and Reddit, where memes began to take on the form that we recognise today. Easily digestible, shareable and often humorous images or videos paired with text quickly transcended these pockets of the internet to become a global force that even your grandma is likely aware of.

The growth in popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter (now X) and Instagram coincided with, and in many ways was fuelled by, the boom in meme culture. Their viral quality led to a meme explosion and, before you knew it, individuals, brands, and even politicians were using memes as a way to express themselves and to connect with their audiences. 

‘Rickrolling’ their way towards becoming a marketing powerhouse

Whether you like it or not, memes have now become a language in their own right. There are numerous studies into individuals’ preferences for content that is presented in easily digestible formats, and memes fall into this category almost perfectly. By relying on a shared cultural understanding of the latest viral meme, brands can communicate complex ideas or emotions through an easily digestible format.From a marketing perspective, truly understanding meme culture is key to tapping into this unique form of communication. In order to maximise the success rate of utilising memes, you need to be fully immersed in meme culture and understand how well a specific meme is resonating with your target audience. Brands that are able to do this successfully have an opportunity to engage their audience in a new, humorous and authentic way. Speed is often the key when it comes to engaging with an emerging trend, but even meme maestros like Ryanair and Aldi have, on occasion, found themselves in hot water by not considering the potential ramifications of engaging with the latest meme. 

‘One does not simply’ engage with the latest meme trend without considering the ramifications

Before you choose to embrace the spirit of Leeroy Jenkins and start utilising memes in your communications, ensure that you have fully considered the potential downsides. Memes evolve very quickly and can easily become outdated. If your brand jumps on a meme trend without fully understanding or considering the context, you can also risk appearing out of touch or even offensive, potentially damaging your brand’s reputation. In 2024, the aforementioned Aldi faced criticism for sharing a meme to its X account based off the Netflix series, Baby Reindeer. While it received praise from some, others took offence and accused the brand of using someone’s trauma to promote its services. 

Memes can be a fantastic way for brands to build closer bonds with their audiences and add greater authenticity and relatability to their communications. However, internet trends are often complicated beasts, and all potential ramifications should be considered before engaging with the latest viral meme.