Terribly effective in communicating a message while striking the imagination, the meme has that little “edgy” side that makes some companies uncomfortable using it. Capterra believes that it is now time to democratize it, by integrating it into the marketing and communication arsenal of companies.
The movement is already underway, notes Emilie Audubert, content analyst at Capterra. Companies like Netflix (see here a top 50 and here an explanation of the strategy) or Maje (see here a gallery produced by artist Tim Elkaïm) have become masters of using their own visual content to create original memes in their advertising campaigns.
An Internet meme is “multimedia content that uses and diverts an easily identifiable element of culture to convey, in a viral manner, an original message that is often humorous in nature. More concretely, it is usually an illustration with a humorous caption.
According to a 2021 study by Capterra, consumers who follow a brand on social networks particularly appreciate (in 42% of cases) “creative and original content”. The meme is therefore a format that fits particularly well in a digital campaign, taking place on social media.
The meme favors the engagement of potential consumers, says Emilie Audubert. If social networks are a visibility opportunity for companies, holding the attention of consumers remains a challenge. By arousing genuine emotions such as laughter and curiosity, Internet users can quickly share memes with their community.
Far from being just an advertising vehicle, memes are increasingly used as a communication tool as part of an overall marketing strategy, including employer branding.
Decision-makers use them to share an announcement, reinforce their employer brand or comment humorously on a news item, explains the content analyst. In internal communication, the meme also finds its place to unite the employees of a company.
Also a tool for internal communication
This second use, in a context of internal communications, is probably more new and therefore less frequent. For more than ten years, Google has been providing its employees with an internal meme generator to fuel the conversations of its work teams. Over the years, the tool has become a forum for employees to vent their frustrations (see here the example of hot toilets!), in a self-deprecating way.
And of course, many telecommuting companies have developed – during the pandemic – their own culture of sharing “memes” in their communications on collaborative platforms.
The meme is an interesting medium for corporate communication, in the sense that it helps reinforce a more human dimension to exchanges,” explains Capterra’s content analyst.
Some warnings
In a marketing context, Emilie Audubert advises companies to use their own visual content to create memes – even if there are several generators of the same. On the one hand, make sure you have the rights to use the images.
Memes are still subject to the same regulations as any other type of creative content, she reminds. If they are used for commercial or promotional purposes, it is advisable to ask for the necessary consents and licenses from the copyright holders in order to avoid any legal repercussions, unless the medium or the image used is already placed under a free license.
The other reason is this:
Companies may choose not to reuse a popular meme to avoid a risk of misuse: quickly outdated memes, or using a niche meme for a large audience, are among the hazards that may prompt them to turn to content of their own.”
Before committing, meme creators will also want to familiarize themselves with the codes of this medium, which is often loaded with cultural references.
It’s a matter of making it their own, while respecting the basic rules of the meme: Its format – “image or video, with a caption), its tone (humorous, referring to a situation in which users can recognize themselves), its distribution channels (the meme is a potentially viral content designed for social sharing), the use of cultural references that are easily identifiable by the target audience (a reference to the latest season of the series Stranger Things may not be as well understood by someone from the baby boomer generation as someone belonging to the Z generation).”
Finally, Emilie Audubert suggests creating a “user charter” that can be applied to both internal and external corporate communications, in particular to “avoid any misunderstanding that could offend the sensitivity of the recipients”.
Good inspiration in the creation of your next memes!
