Find 7 ways memes can BOOST your brand’s marketing efforts

There is no doubt that memes are here to stay; even better, brands are experiencing new ways to engage in well-timed meme-marketing strategies. 

Innovative brands across different industries are using the power of creativity to build new communities and inspire strong sentiment around their brand to benefit the business. Let me show you seven different ways in which memes can help you get your marketing objectives in line; both can connect your customers and your team. 

1. Reach a younger community. Memes do not have a specific age to target, but if you are after the younger demographic, then memes are by far the most effective and short-form of communication. Did you know that over 50% of Generation Z, over 40% of millennials, and over 20% of Generation X look for new memes every single day (explosion emoji, please)? Taking these stats into consideration makes you think that implementing memes to your brand message to reach younger consumers and potential collaborators seems like a no-brainer, right? 
2. Increase social media engagement. If you enjoy memes, you know the internet goes bananas when something clever comes up with a trending news topic. Do you remember when Will Smith slapped the bejesus out of Chris Rock? Of course, you do! But do you remember the outcome of that one unfortunate and embarrassing event? THE MEMES!!! By keeping an eye on trending topics and taking action on these with memes that can adapt to your brand, you’re truly fueling a greater engagement with your online audience.  
3. Low-cost marketing campaigns. If done right, a meme can take very little effort and money to become a viral sensation, so this means that your meme marketing campaign has the potential to go viral as well. Let me give you an example of a successful meme marketing campaign; take Spotify as one. Do you remember when they came up with their meme campaign? “Me: It’s okay; the breakup was mutual. Also, me: Listening to a sad indie song.” That was phenomenal because they used something so simple to promote their streaming service with something we can all relate to.  
4. Help your brand thrive. Due to its short-form nature, a meme is a visual message that can stay in your audience’s memory long after they click on them. Make sure when you go with meme marketing campaigns you place your brand loud and clear; you’ll be remembered for sure. Take an example, Barkbox, the cute dog toy company that sells dog toys with a subscription model. Their entire marketing campaign is based on memes, at least for the majority of it, and thanks to that, their followers have reached 1.8 million. Imagine that! 
5. Build brand loyalty. Don’t take me wrong; traditional marketing can align with some consumers by being inspirational. Think about the dieting ads, the pelotons of the world; they can really make you feel like you need to get off the couch and fight for your brand-new body. But you know, memes have a powerful way of uniting people by reminding them they are not alone in their thoughts or feelings. Memes are relatable and build a strong community of people who understand each other, so attaching your brand to such a movement can bring brand loyalty. 
6. Encourage team building. Memes have the amazing and beautiful power to inspire your team, no question about that. I can’t tell you how many times a meme has brought us closer as a team in Ahava Marketing and how it has broken the ice for the new members and truly brought some fun in the day-to-day life of Team Ahava. Creating work channels for sharing your favorite memes or holding the best meme activities by employees has been one of the top ways to encourage team building. Memes are not only for external marketing use but also for your own team to get close to your brand and the entire environment.  
7. Break the boring-job mentality in your company. The job doesn’t have to be boring. Instead, make it fun; make it worth it. Just because you run a law office, or you run a financial sector business, or who knows, you do something that may be monotonous, it does not mean it has to feel for your employees like they are dreading another day. Instead, create greater satisfaction and retention, make efforts like “meme of the day”, and let your team explore and suggest what is funny and what can get them closer to one another. It is proven that a meme encourages social interactions and helps break the tediousness of a job without cutting the work routine. Try it out. 

Author: Karen Soni