Meme: the viral marketing

Nowadays, a lot of times we hear the word “meme”, which represents a phenomenon that is increasingly entering our lives without asking for permission.

However, what is a meme exactly?

A meme is a multimedia content -photo or video- that is characterized by a humorous nature and can be the result of a creative reworking of scenes of films, TV series and programs. They are becoming a cult in our society, quickly spreading both through the net and offline.

Meme is the abbreviation of “Mimeme”, a Greek word that means “anything that is imitated”. Put it simple, it is an irreverent and goliardic catchphrase which spreads spontaneously on the web, especially on Social Networks, e-mails, and forums.

Their popularity stems from the very nature of their concept, which conveys emotions and ideas in an easy and understandable format. Memes are perfect for the digital age, as they constitute a global social trend, which is the fuel for viral marketing.

If used correctly, they can become powerful instant marketing tools for companies, in order to:

• Share information in a format which is funny and easy to read;
• Boost brands’ personality;
• Explain complicated concepts -such as the business focus- in a unique way;
• Increase engagement with the public;

Memes’ success comes also from the time people spend on Social Medias, in which conversations usually are made of jokes and references to online political and social episodes.

Whether we are talking about an image of an influencer or a video of a Brand, memes have entered the language of social media, and companies should learn and improve their communication strategy, with the aim of increasing the engagement of their public.

In order to discover these new opportunities, you can rely on E-Business Consulting, digital marketing agency since 2003, always up-to-date with Social Media languages.