Whether you’re scrolling Facebook, Instagram, or any other social network, you’re bound to see a meme (or 10). You’re bound to come across a meme or 10 when you browse Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media network. Memes have taken over the internet, but did you know that those amusing little posts could be beneficial to growing your online business too?
Did you know that memes can be used to grow your online business?
A meme is a funny image, video, or GIF posted with accompanying text aimed to represent ideas and behaviors that are popular on the internet.
A meme is an image, video or GIF that has accompanying text and represents ideas and behaviors popular on the Internet.
The result?
Making people laugh.
Thanks to their entertainment value, many memes go viral (the famous distracted boyfriend meme still pops up on our news feeds at least once a day!)
Many memes are viralized because of their entertainment value (the famous distracted-boyfriend meme still appears on our news feeds every day at least once!) and brands have quickly caught on to their potential.
Brands have quickly realised their potential.
Meme marketing is the process of using memes to attract people to your store, allowing you to connect with your audience in a fun way, increasing your engagement rate and social share potential.
Meme marketing is a way to use memes to draw people to your store. It allows you to connect to your audience in a playful manner, increasing your engagement and social sharing potential.
Sound like something you want to get involved with?
Do you want to be a part of this? In this expert guide, we’ll explore 15 of the best examples of meme marketing from brands of all sizes as well as offer some top tips for you to implement in your own meme marketing strategy.
In this guide, we will explore 15 of the most successful examples of meme marketing by brands of all sizes and offer some top tips that you can use in your own strategy.
Read on for a meme-orable marketing guide full of tips and tricks…
Here’s a marketing guide that you can use to create memes.
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15 Meme Marketing Examples
Our experts have scoured the web and found the best examples of meme marketing.
1. Netflix
Netflix is seemingly one of meme marketing’s biggest fans, with the online streaming service frequently posting funny memes related to its latest releases and popular shows.
Netflix, the online streaming service, is a fan of meme marketing. It frequently posts funny memes that relate to its most recent releases and popular shows.
Netflix has tons of visual content it can make the most of and often starts meme trends by creating new memes related to shows that are already causing a buzz online.
Netflix has a lot of visual content that it can use to its advantage. It also starts meme trends when it creates new memes based on shows that are already making a buzz.
The key takeaway from Netflix’s use of meme marketing is the way the brand creates memes that its audience can relate to and will therefore share – in this case, the age-old dilemma of eating out when you have food at home…
The key takeaway is that Netflix uses meme marketing to create memes which its audience can relate and therefore share. In this case, it’s the age-old dilemma about eating out when there are food options at home. Netflix got people talking about the latest series of YOU by creating and sharing memes online.
2. Wendy’s
Fast food giant Wendy’s has made an online name for itself thanks to the brand’s unique approach to social media.
Wendy’s, the fast food giant, has become a household name online thanks to its unique approach to social networking.
The brand has focused its online attention on Twitter (now known as X) and built a reputation for sassy, verging on offensive, tweets, and memes.
The brand has devoted its online efforts to Twitter (now called X) where it has built a reputation as a provider of sassy and bordering on offensive tweets and memes. This is a good example of picking a social platform that suits your brand’s personality, tone, and audience.
This is an example of choosing a social media platform that fits your brand’s tone, personality, and audience. Wendy’s LinkedIn page, for example, is much more “professional” than its Twitter – choosing the right platform for your meme marketing is a wise first step!
Wendy’s LinkedIn is much more “professional”, for example, than its Twitter – choosing the right platform to market your memes is a smart first step!
Wendy’s took the popular Spiderman meme and turned it into something that related to their own branding and business, which is critical to meme marketing success.
Wendy’s turned the popular Spiderman meme into something that was related to their brand and business. This is crucial to the success of meme marketing. Your memes need to relate back to your brand.
Your memes must relate back to your brand. Wendy’s show the importance of having a sense of humour online.
Wendy’s shows the importance of having some sense of humor online.
3. KFC
Timing is everything when it comes to meme marketing and KFC showed that it knows exactly that, when it jumped on the Godzilla v Kong trend when it was at its peak.
When it comes to meme marketing, timing is everything. KFC proved that it knew this when it jumped onto the Godzilla v Kong craze at its peak.
The brand took the opportunity to not only jump on a viral trend for maximum exposure but also to take a sly dig at its main competitors, Burger King and McDonald’s.
The brand used the opportunity to not just jump on a trend to gain maximum exposure, but also to poke fun at its main competitors Burger King and McDonald’s.
The viral post back in 2021 ended up with over 120K retweets, stats that can’t be scoffed at.
The viral tweet from 2021 had over 120K retweets. These are stats that cannot be laughed at. KFC got ahead of the trend and posted this meme before other brands caught on.
KFC got ahead of the trend and posted this meme before other brands caught on.
4. Ruka Hair
The best examples of meme marketing combine a current and trending meme with a link back to your brand and a narrative that your audience can relate to.
The best examples of meme-marketing combine a current, trending meme along with a link to your brand as well as a narrative your audience can relate to.
Ruka Hair dipped its toe into the world of meme marketing when the brand jumped on the Oprah Winfrey meme following that Harry and Meghan interview.
Ruka Hair dabbled in the world of meme-marketing when it jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s meme following the Harry and Meghan interview.
In the days and weeks following the interview, this photo of Oprah’s reaction was everywhere and the brand cleverly used it in relation to a narrative relevant to its target audience.
This photo of Oprah reacting to the interview was all over the place in the days and even weeks that followed. The brand cleverly used this photo to tell a story relevant to their target audience.
We like it!
This example from Ruka Hair shows how jumping on trending topics can work well for a brand.
This example from Ruka shows how a brand can benefit by jumping on popular topics.
5. Penguin Random House
Here it is, the famous distracted boyfriend meme.
Here is the famous distracted girlfriend meme. Is this the most popular meme ever?
Is this meme the most popular ever? Potentially.
The meme has been used time and time again online, but we particularly like Penguin Random House’s take on the viral image.
The meme has been shared online many times, but we like Penguin Random House’s version of the viral image.
The brand put its own spin on it and directly linked it to the writing industry.
The brand gave it its own spin and linked it directly to the writing industry.
While the meme content itself is slightly niche, it was appreciated by writers and readers alike – aka the core audience of Penguin Random House.
Although the meme content is a bit niche, it has been appreciated by writers and other readers – the core audience of Penguin Random House.
Penguin Random House took a viral meme and made it relevant to the brand.
Penguin Random House made a viral meme relevant to their brand by repurposing it.
6. Gucci
Way back in 2017 luxury fashion house Gucci decided if meme marketing was good enough for everyone else then it was good enough for them too.
In 2017, luxury fashion house Gucci made the decision that if meme marketing worked for everyone else, it would work for them as well.
The brand recreated a series of popular and viral memes with their own products and models (and an award-winning photographer to shoot them because well, it’s Gucci after all).
The brand recreated popular and viral memes using their own products and models. (And an award-winning photographer to shoot them, because it’s Gucci, after all.)
One such meme was a take on the trending “Arthur’s fist” meme, which Gucci used as a chance to promote its new watch line.
One of these memes was Gucci’s take on the “Arthur’s fist” meme. Gucci used this as an opportunity to promote its watch line.
While the memes were met with mixed reactions from Gucci’s audience, we have to applaud the brand for its unique take on meme marketing and the way it expertly included its latest product lines.
The memes received mixed reactions from Gucci’s audience. However, we must applaud the brand’s unique take on meme-marketing and the way that it included its latest product line.
Luxury fashion house Gucci created their own content based on viral memes.
Gucci, a luxury fashion house, created its own content based upon viral memes.
7. Diamond Express Travels
This is a great example of a brand using a popular meme but linking it right back to the service offering they provide for customers.
This is an excellent example of a company using a popular meme and linking it back to the services they offer their customers.
Diamond Express Travels took the famous Drake meme and used it to promote the concept of using a travel agent to book a trip.
Diamond Express Travels used the famous Drake meme to promote the idea of using a travel agency to book a vacation.
The brand also regularly takes part in MemeMondays, a trending social media event where you are encouraged to share your favorite or unique memes.
The brand also regularly participates in MemeMondays. This is a trending event on social media where you are encouraged share your favorite or original memes.
Diamond Express Travel used this meme post to encourage people to use its services.
Diamond Express Travel posted this meme to encourage people to use their services.
8. Dominos
Speaking of Drake, the rapper has been the inspiration for many trending memes in his time, and here is another great example of a brand taking a trending meme and linking it to itself.
Here is another example of a brand using a popular meme to promote itself.
Dominos jumped on this meme trend and edited the image to include the pizza brand’s famous Garlic and Herb dip.
Dominos took advantage of this meme trend and edited it to include its famous Garlic and Herb Dip.
This was one of the first brand versions of this particular meme, highlighting why speed and relevance are key for meme marketing.
This was the first brand version of this meme. It shows why speed and relevance is key in meme marketing.
Dominos acted fast to be one of the first brands to post a funny and relevant twist on this viral meme.
Dominos was one of the earliest brands to create a meme with a funny twist.
9. Dollar Shave Club
Meme marketing can be a particularly good idea for brands that have built a brand personality or persona that’s light-hearted and fun, like Dollar Shave Club.
Meme marketing is a great idea for brands like Dollar Shave Club, which have a light-hearted personality.
From the moment the brand launched, it positioned itself as easy-going, fun, and a little bit cheeky, and its use of memes on social media reflects exactly that.
The brand has always been positioned as fun, easy-going and cheeky. Its use of memes in social media reflects that.
Dollar Shave Club’s approach to meme marketing highlights an important lesson for everyone: make sure your online content reflects the tone and personality of your brand.
Dollar Shave Club’s approach to meme-marketing is a great lesson for all: make sure that your online content reflects your brand’s personality and tone.
Dollar Shave Club prove that you can use meme marketing to portray your brand’s personality.
Dollar Shave Club shows that you can use memes to promote your brand.
10. McDonald’s
McDonald’s approached meme marketing in a totally different way from many of the other brands on this list – the brand used it to make fun of itself.
McDonald’s used meme marketing to make fun of themselves, a completely different approach from the other brands in this list.
Jumping on the online chatter about McFlurry spoons, McDonald’s showed that as a brand it doesn’t take itself too seriously, the perfect way to appeal to Gen-Z and Millennial customers.
McDonald’s capitalized on the online buzz about McFlurry spoons to show that it is a brand that doesn’t take themselves too seriously. This was a great way to appeal Gen-Z and Millennial consumers.
Mcdonalds doesn’t take itself too seriously on social media, allowing the brand to make use of funny memes.
Mcdonalds isn’t too serious on social media. The brand uses funny memes.
11. Audible
At first glance, you wouldn’t necessarily think that the “spooky skeleton” meme would have anything to do with Audible, an audiobook and podcast service.
You wouldn’t think at first that the “spooky skeletons” meme has anything to do Audible, a podcast and audiobook service.
The brand was clever, however, and with some simple tweaks and by editing the text, were able to link the meme directly back to its service offering.
The brand was clever and, with a few simple tweaks, they were able, by editing the text and tweaking the meme, to link it directly to their service offering.
This is a great example of thinking outside of the box and finding fun and engaging ways to link popular memes to your own brand offering.
This is an excellent example of thinking outside the box and finding engaging and fun ways to link popular memes with your own brand.
Audible creates and posts relevant and seasonal memes online.
Audible creates seasonal and relevant memes and posts them online.
12. Starbucks
The “Me/Also Me” trend has been around for a while and there are loads of brands who have jumped on it and made it their own.
The “Me/Also Me trend” has been around for some time and many brands have adopted it. We particularly like Starbucks’ approach.
Starbucks’ approach is particularly appealing.
The key to this particular meme trend is to make it relatable, both to you and your audience.
This meme trend relies on making it relatable to both you and your audience. You need to play on the thoughts and feelings of your audience if you want them to enjoy, engage, and share your meme.
You must play on the feelings and thoughts of your audience to get them to engage with your meme, enjoy it, and share it.
Starbucks knows the importance of being relatable to build a rapport with followers.
Starbucks understands the importance of being relatable in order to build a relationship with its followers.
13. OPI
Another text-based meme that is always popular is the “Sorry I have plans” trend.
The “Sorry, I have plans” trend is another text-based meme which is always popular.
Nail brand OPI jumped on this trend to great success because not only did it make the brand feel relevant and engaging, but it was also a clever way of promoting the brand’s products, getting people excited at the thought of purchasing and using them.
OPI, a nail brand, jumped on the trend with great success. Not only did it make OPI feel relevant and engaging but it was a clever way to promote the brand’s product, getting people excited about the thought of buying and using them.
Nice!
These kinds of memes are super simple to create, highlighting that meme marketing doesn’t need to take up too much of your time or resources.
These types of memes can be created quickly, and don’t require a lot of time or resources. OPI keeps its online brand relevant and modern with fun and unique memes.
OPI’s online brand is kept relevant and current with the help of fun and unique memes.
14. Yappy
Yappy is a brand that sells personalized dog products, and therefore knows that its core audience online is made up of dog owners and lovers.
Yappy sells personalized dog items, so it knows that its online audience is primarily made up of dog lovers and owners.
By understanding exactly who its audience is, the brand is able to use and create memes that they will relate to, increasing the chances of engagement and shares.
Understanding who their audience is allows brands to create memes they can relate to and increase the chances of engagement.
The Yappy social media feeds are full of memes, but we particularly like this one based around sharing your bed with your dog, since it proves that the brand understands the everyday lives of its customers.
Yappy’s social media feeds are filled with memes. We like this one, which is about sharing your bed and your dog. It shows that the brand truly understands its customers.
This light-hearted and personal approach to meme marketing is definitely one to replicate!
This approach to meme marketing, which is both lighthearted and personal, should be replicated!
This example reiterates the importance of ensuring any memes you post are relevant to your brand.
This example highlights the importance of making sure that any memes you share are relevant to your brand.
15. Barkbox
Speaking of dog brands, another that uses meme marketing like an expert is Barkbox.
Barkbox is another dog brand that uses memes to its advantage.
Barkbox is a monthly subscription service that includes dog toys and treats which means most of its online audience is made up of dog owners.
Barkbox is an online subscription service that offers dog toys and treats. The majority of its audience is dog owners.
Dog memes, therefore, are bound to go down a treat.
Dog memes are sure to be a hit. With this example, Barkbox didn’t have to do anything – the dog meme was already trending online, the brand simply had to repost it on the Barkbox page and watch the likes and shares come flooding in.
Barkbox did not have to do anything with this example – the meme was already popular online. The brand only had to repost the meme on the Barkbox Facebook page and watch as the likes and share flooded in.
Barkbox proves that you don’t always need to personalize a meme to make it relevant to your brand.
Barkbox shows that you don’t have to personalize memes to make them relevant to your brand. Barkbox posted an already viral meme to their Instagram that was relevant and would be enjoyed by the brand’s audience.
6 Tips for Meme Marketing
Now you’ve seen some great meme examples, take a look at our six expert tips for introducing meme marketing to your social media strategy.
After you’ve seen these great examples of memes, check out our six expert tips on how to introduce meme marketing into your social media strategy.
1. Be Relevant to Your Brand and Target Audience
Relevance to your brand and target audience
Everything you post on social media should be relevant to your audience, especially your memes.
All of your social media posts, including memes, should be relevant to the audience. You may find a meme that you find funny, but if there’s no way to link it to your brand and audience then don’t bother posting it.
If you find a funny meme, but there is no way to connect it to your audience or brand, then don’t post it.
Every meme you post should be relevant to your brand and your services, otherwise, you become just another generic online meme account (and trust us, there are plenty of those online already!)
You should make sure that every meme you post is relevant to your brand or service, otherwise you will become just another generic meme account online (and there are already plenty of them).
Keep It Short and Sweet
Keep it Short and Sweet
Memes should be fun, engaging, and short.
Memes should be engaging, fun, and short. The focus of most memes is imagery and any text you add to the meme, as well as your captions, should be short and sweet.
Most memes are centered around images, and any text that you add, as well your captions, must be short and sweet. Memes are meant to be fun, this isn’t the place for your long-form, educational content.
This is not the place to post long-form educational content. Memes are meant to have fun.
2. Keep It Short and Sweet
Memes should be fun, engaging, and short.
Memes should be engaging, fun, and short. The focus of most memes is imagery and any text you add to the meme, as well as your captions, should be short and sweet.
Memes should be fun, engaging, and short. The focus of most memes is imagery and any text you add to the meme, as well as your captions, should be short and sweet. Memes are meant to be fun, this isn’t the place for your long-form, educational content.
This is not the place to post long-form educational content. Memes are meant to have fun.
3. Be Creative
Be Creative
Meme marketing offers the ideal opportunity to get creative.
Meme marketing is a great way to be creative. Think outside the box and create your own, relevant memes that users can share and enjoy.
Create your own relevant memes for users to share and enjoy. You can also jump onto trending and popular memes by putting your own creative spin on them.
You can also take advantage of popular memes and trending topics by adding your own creative twist to them. Don’t hold back and let your creative ideas flow!
Let your creative ideas flow and don’t hold back!
4. Use High-Quality Images
Use High-Quality Pictures
Just like any images you use as part of your branding and marketing, the images you use to create memes should be high-quality.
Images used to create memes, just like images used for branding and marketing, should be of high quality. The main reason for this is that your memes need to be shareable – the more people who share your meme the better – and users are much less likely to share a low-quality, blurry image/meme.
This is because your memes should be shareable. The more people that share your meme, the better. Users are less likely to share low-quality images or blurry memes. You can learn more in our full image optimization guide.
Our full image optimization guide will tell you more.
5. Don’t Be Offensive
Don’t be offensive
We’re all for poking fun at yourself, and even your target audience, if that’s your brand personality, but it’s a fine line between being sarcastic and being offensive.
We don’t mind if you poke fun at your brand, or even your target audience if it’s part of your brand personality. But there’s a thin line between being sarcastic, and being offensive. Avoid any memes that are discriminatory or rude or that include slurs.
Avoid memes that are rude, discriminatory, or include slurs. You want to make your audience laugh, not cry!
You want your audience to laugh, not cry.
6. Don’t Be Late
Don’t Be Late
Social media trends come and go in the blink of an eye, and what’s popular on Tik Tok today could be totally uncool tomorrow.
Social media trends change in a blink of an eye. What’s cool on Tik Tok now could be uncool tomorrow.
If you spot a meme trend that you want to utilize, you need to act swiftly and jump on the trend as quickly as possible.
You should act quickly and seize the opportunity to use a meme trend.
Joining a trend too late will result in minimal shares and will make your brand look outdated, so you need to keep your finger firmly on the pulse with this one!
If you join a trend late, your brand will look outdated and receive minimal shares. So keep your finger on the pulse!
How Meme Marketing Can Help You Grow Your Business Online
Staying on top of social trends can take a lot of work, so why do brands take the time and effort to ace meme marketing?
Why do brands spend so much time and effort on meme marketing?
Increased Brand Awareness
Brand Awareness Increased
Social media is a key way to grow your brand online.
Social media is an important way to grow your online brand. If you create memes that people want to share online, you’ll be getting your brand name spread to a broader audience, helping to increase brand awareness and hopefully grow your audience and traffic numbers.
You can increase your brand awareness by creating memes that people will want to share.
Top tip!
Top tip!
Consider adding your logo or brand name to your meme images so that if they are saved and shared, your brand will still be featured.
Add your logo or brand to your memes so that your brand is still featured if the images are saved and shared.
Increased Engagement
Increased Engagement
People love memes, and in social media timelines chocked full of content, funny and unique memes stand out from the crowd.
Funny and unique memes are a great way to stand out in a social media timeline stuffed full of content. Memes are a great way of boosting your engagement and encouraging likes, comments, and shares.
Memes can be a great way to boost your engagement, encourage likes, comments and shares.
Increased Traffic to Your Website
Increased Traffic to your website
The more your brand is seen online, the more traffic you can drive to your website, and by creating memes that are shareable, relatable, and engaging, you’ll be positioning your brand as one to explore.
By creating memes that can be shared, relatable and engaging, your brand will be positioned as one worth exploring.
Improved Lead Generation
Improved Lead Generation
One of the most important, but often hardest, parts of growing an audience online is attracting customers to your online store or website who will actually make a purchase from your brand.
Attracting customers to your website or online store who will make a purchase is one of the most important but also difficult parts of growing your audience online. In other words, active leads.
Other words, active leads.
Meme marketing can be great for lead generation because, providing you’re creating memes that perfectly align with your brand and target audience, you’ll be attracting the attention of users who are the ideal fit for you.
Meme marketing is a great way to generate leads. If you create memes that are aligned with your brand, you will attract users who are a perfect fit for you.
Increased Sales
Increased Sales
And of course, meme marketing can lead to the golden result: increased online sales.
Meme marketing can have a golden result, which is increased online sales. Now more than ever customers are thinking carefully about where they spend their money and the brands they choose to shop with.
More than ever, customers are careful about where they spend money and which brands they choose. They’re looking for brands that have the same morals, ethos, and even sense of humor as them.
They are looking for brands with the same morals and ethos as they do.
If you get meme marketing right, you should see a major boost to your sales figures.
If you do meme marketing correctly, you will see a significant increase in your sales.
Meme Marketing: Summary
Meme Marketing: Summary
Meme marketing isn’t just about having fun on the internet (although, it definitely should be fun), it can be a powerful tool to promote your website, raise brand awareness, build an engaged following, and drive active leads straight to your website.
Meme marketing can be used to drive traffic to your website, increase brand awareness, create a loyal following, and generate active leads.
As you can see from the brands of all sizes showcased in this article, anyone can start meme advertising on social media but before you get started, let’s recap our expert tips:
Before you start, review our expert tips.
- Be relevant to your brand and audience
- Keep it short and sweet
- Be creative
- Use high-quality images
- Don’t be offensive
- Don’t be late
Be relevant to both your brand and your audience
Keep it short
Be creative
Use high-quality photos
Don’t be offensive
Don’t be Late
Remember, the key to meme marketing success is making sure you’re having fun and that everything is always relevant to both your brand and your audience.
You can achieve success with meme marketing by having fun, and making sure that your content is relevant to your brand and audience. If you follow our tips and tricks, you can’t go wrong.
You can’t go far wrong if you follow our tips.
Are you planning to include meme marketing in your social media plans?
Do you plan to include meme marketing into your social media strategy? Or maybe you have a favorite brand online that always smashes meme marketing? Maybe you have a favorite online brand that is always a master of meme marketing? Let us know in the comments!
Tell us in the comments what you think!
