3 Reasons to Embrace Meme Culture
Memes have taken the internet by storm - entertainment memes, marketing memes, branded memes, and video memes are a few of the most viral. Originally a 20th century term referencing an idea, behavior or style that spreads within a society, memes have now become an internet culture phenomenon consisting of an image or video file with a caption, quote, or catchphrase written across. Their undeniable impact can be examined from countless successful and damning viral entertainment memes and marketing campaigns alike. As a personal brand, it’s vital that you not only keep up with the current popular communication styles, but that you take advantage of ones as potentially marketable and profitable as a meme can be for you. Here are 3 reasons why we’re loving the meme and reasons you should, too:
Sharable: The spreading power alone is one of the most important reasons to engage in creating your own memes. Since most of the time it will include just an image with a customized quote or statement, memes are optimal for posting on social media - and every major platform supports its’ sharing (when often it’s not possible to share traditional word content as easily). This multiplies the chances of your content spreading to many different channels and consumers.
Brand Recognition: Creating a sharable meme with your brand aesthetic is as important if not more so than creating one with your original content. While it is wonderful and necessary to launch your original quotes and content out into the vast world wide web, it is so incredibly critical and beneficial to pound away at your brand recognition. What are your colors, logos, fonts and photos? Every time a consumer sees your brand, they are both subconsciously and consciously filing you away as a leader in your field - because of course you are…they “always see you!”
Memorable: Creativity will always win. Our brains not only enjoy visuals, they store them away 60,000 times faster than text alone. Your meme doesn’t need to be covered in art, graphics or bright colors to do the job, either. A pleasant visual (photo or plain background with simply designed copy) is stored away as a memorable optic that will, over time, increase brand awareness, following and ROI. These visuals also create the perfect platform to share information, content and self-promotion without being salesey. Of course there are those who create obnoxious sales pitches on a graphic and call it a meme - but that’s not what we want to do here. “Memevertising” is a common tactic and not always bad, but that should remain primarily in the hands of larger corporations and advertisers. As a personal brand, strive to educate and entertain - this will, in turn, promote your brand in a tasteful and widely acceptable manner.
