Memes and humor: even brands can't do without them

Today more than ever memes represent the new frontier of communication , thanks to their simplicity, immediacy and virality. But what is meant by the word " meme "?

Memes: what are they?

Memes are contents that spread rapidly on the web reaching many, many users. These are images, GIFs or videos often accompanied by a funny and nice caption about a specific topic.

And it is precisely the humor that accompanies them to make them depopulate online, mainly on social networks, generating numerous interactions.

Creating a meme means associating a funny text to a viral image, and if the text-image association is fun, the meme works.

The origins

Yet, memes weren't born with the internet.

The term was coined, in fact, in 1976 by the British ethologist Richard Dawkins, in his book " The selfish gene " to define an idea, an action or a style which, by imitation, spreads rapidly in mass culture or among one generation and another.

Then, with the advent of the Internet, the concept of "replica" was maintained, but in reference to the web. The meme thus becomes, according to the Treccani vocabulary:

“Single element of a culture or of a behavioral system, replicable and transmissible by imitation from one individual to another or from one means of communication and expression to another.”

So in our age, the digital one, they represent humorous elements that spread rapidly online. And, just like genes, they are propagated in mass culture by imitation.

Memes contribute to the creation of content capable of monopolizing the attention of web users . This is why they represent an excellent tool for brands to integrate into the content strategy .

Why do memes work?

Why do memes work?

Their luck derives from the fact that, starting from the same base (therefore from a single photo, GIF or video), infinite versions can be created.

As part of a content marketing strategy, creating content starting from memes allows brands to exploit the weapon of humor to convey a message in a simple, fast and fun way.

And through humor it is possible to attract users and make them interested in what you want to communicate to them, especially for the way in which you choose to do it .

Today, in fact, it is no longer enough for a brand to sell a good product. But it's also important to offer your community original, fun and up-to-date content that shows a more authentic and human side.

And in this, marketing through memes – also called Meme Marketing – has a main role.

In this way it is possible to show that behind a specific product or service there are real people , ironic and able to transmit light but still functional content to their audience.

And so distances are reduced, because institutional and distant communication leaves room for a more intimate, real one, capable of entertaining and exciting.

Making memes, but carefully

But simply integrating memes into your communication strategy is not enough. It's important to do this carefully, and especially strategically .

First of all, to create effective memes it is essential to maintain an image consistent with your brand and tone of voice, in order to always be recognizable.

It is also important to study your target audience well : what can entertain them? Knowing its characteristics and what is of interest to it can lead to achieving more effective results.

Finally, you must always be up to date and on point: taking advantage of Real Time Marketing and current trends is the best way to create impactful and effective memes , capable of generating numerous likes, comments and shares.

That's why memes have great potential to go viral if used the right way.

Between brands and memes

Memes are depopulated everywhere, and there are many brands that implement them in their strategy, social and otherwise.

durex

Durex, thanks to the power of humor and memes, manages to launch important and serious messages – totally in line with its identity – but in a nice way.

An example is the post that invites the use of condoms, but also of the mask as a protection tool during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Durex Instagram Posts (2020)

In this case, Durex uses humor to send an important message to its target , the youngest: to protect themselves and others, both ways.

The power of Durex to combine humor and Instant Marketing is evident, referring to a situation that was more than current – at the time – for all of us. The result? A quality content and straight to the point, which reaches users easily.

On another occasion, Durex played on the "viality" of an interview with Matteo Renzi, in which he speaks in English.

One phrase in particular has become famous:

“First reaction: shock!”

Between Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube there were many memes and parodies that went viral online regarding the interview.

And Durex did not miss this super-precious opportunity to once again launch an awareness-raising message. This time inviting us not to underestimate the lack of use of protections during relationships.

Durex Instagram Posts (2021)

As expected, the content went viral with over 80,000 likes , and many comments from those who appreciate the brand's communication strategy, as can be read from the first comment: " Give a medal to those who do these things".

Taffo

Taffo is a funeral home agency, and certainly represents the most significant and glaring Italian example when it comes to humor as a means of communication .

His tone of voice – ironic, direct and cynical enough – has ensured that the posts were appreciated and recognized online, so much so that he has a following on Instagram currently equal to almost 200k followers.

The communication strategy used focuses heavily on real time, thus publishing current content without losing sight, however, of its objective: to sell and provide funeral services . This is why Taffo's contents make fun of very delicate topics, such as death, but with adequate caution.

And with slogans and copy, often provocative and impactful, Taffo has achieved important goals in terms of brand awareness .

On the occasion of the death of Queen Elizabeth II , for example, Taffo published a post featuring a crown and a shovel. Accompanying a copy:

“You buried more than us.”

The post reached almost 30,000 likes and over 200 comments : signals of a communication, that of Taffo, which is understood and appreciated by users.

Taffo's Instagram post (2022)

Another example? The very famous song by Shakira , which sparked the web months ago and went viral.

For the occasion, the very personal contribution of Taffo could not be missing, who made fun of a recurring element within the song: the comparison between a Ferrari, understood as a quality car, and a Twingo, of lesser value.

And so, once again, Taffo focuses on a current and trendy theme to promote his services, but he does it with his usual humorous and subtle style .

Taffo's Instagram post (2023)

The result? Almost 50,000 likes and over 600 comments . Because Taffo knows how to stay on track, and in the right way, and this is the secret of his success.

Barilla

Barilla has also used the valid tool of humor and memes to communicate its products.

The new pesto with basil and lemon was recently launched on the market. And the advertising strategy, devised for the launch, saw various OOH campaigns cover the Milan subway with nice and fresh claims .

Among others, the following stand out:

“Madam, the lemons, madam!”

Barilla's OOH campaign in Milan (2023)

For those wondering, the phrase is a meme that went viral in 2021 – but still current – and has become one of the most iconic videos on the web over time. And it is no coincidence that it has collected, to date, over 3 million views on Youtube.

SSC Naples

But even football teams enjoy communicating on social media in a light and fun way, focusing on humor and the use of memes.

An example is the Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli , which on TikTok shoots videos that have gone viral online and accompanies them with captions and copy capable of entertaining the many fans on the platform.

And so, the videos posted reach an average of over a million views , and numerous comments from those who tag friends and family to show them the funny memes.

One of the most recent videos, on the other hand, concerns the Napoli-Inter match, held on Sunday 21 May, and "ironized" through a video taken from an episode of The Ferragnez , the TV series of the moment.

A content strategy that aims to reach a younger target, the one on TikTok, and it succeeds . In fact, there are many comments from those who appreciate the work of those behind Napoli's social networks, even asking for their "increase".

Conclusion: How to create viral memes?

Therefore, it is clear how memes and the use of humor are valid tools for conveying an advertising message in a way that is anything but intrusive. But how do you create viral memes?

Assuming that there are no universal and pre-established rules for generating virality, Jonah Berger – university professor specializing in viral marketing and author of the best-seller “Contagious” – talks about the acronym STEPPS:

• Social Currency : ability to stand out from the crowd by creating content that is considered the best.
• Trigger : ability to get people to associate a certain content with a specific brand, product or service.
• Emotions (emotions): ability of content to arouse strong emotions in people.
• Public (social proof): mechanism by which the more a content has a high level of engagement (likes, shares, comments), the more it will be shared and recognized online.
• Practical Value : value and usefulness of a certain content.
• Stories (stories): the ability of a content to tell a story, to be accompanied - therefore - by a storytelling, which can be shared by people.

The use of these 6 elements in the creation of content, in this case memes, will favor virality and the achievement of a high level of engagement.