What Do You Meme? Why Your Business Should Take Advantage of Internet Memes

Alli Kuhlmann — January 17, 2017

Since the internet started to flourish back in the year 2000, very few ideas have spread faster than that of the “meme.” For those unfamiliar with this term, a meme is any form of popular culture that is internet-based, spreading from person to person, eventually turning into an internet sensation. Memes can range anywhere between a funny picture with a snarky caption, to planking, which was popular in the early 2010’s.

So what’s the big deal and why are memes so important?

Memes spread like wildfire, reaching billions of people, making them the quintessential marketing tool, some may believe. For example, one of the most popular memes on the internet is a picture of a cat making a silly face with the caption, “I can has cheezburger?” As weird and grammatically incorrect as it is, the website that houses the original picture receives up to 1.5 million hits in one day and over 500 billion in a year. If a silly picture can produce this much engagement for no purpose at all, why not use a similar tactic to promote your business or product?

How can I use this weird idea to promote my business?

The key to succeeding with a meme is to make sure that it stands out from the crowd. The internet is over-flowing with memes already, so jumping into that game is going to be difficult and competitive. One way to capitalize on memes is to look at what kinds of memes are currently trending. Currently, popular memes include Evil Kermit, “But That’s None of My Business,” Kermit, Be Like Bill, and Grumpy Cat. Use a meme like one of these in a way that talks about your product or service by casually slipping your name in the meme. This makes it look like others are talking about your business and grabs the public’s attention.

Memes may seem silly, but they can be used far more strategically than just for laughs. Especially if your target market focuses on millennials, memes will take you far. In today’s social atmosphere, brand popularity is heavily reliant on emotion, a large portion of that being humor.

(54)