The meme-ification of marketing: the marketing language of the culture impacting consumer behaviour
Memes were once social media noise.
Now, memes aren’t just internet jokes, but power moves saluting culture.
They’re shaping cultural conversations, launching album rollouts, and yes, moving products off shelves.
Memes are like that appetizer you didn’t plan to order, but after trusting the waiter, it’s the star of the table (that you almost accidentally got full off of). You came for the entrée (your core social strategy), but memes are what keep your audience engaged, entertained, and scrolling for more.
Once dismissed as unserious, memes have become a strategic language that brands must speak to connect with Gen Z and Alpha audiences. They’re snackable. They’re funny. They’re emotionally resonant AND they convert. Over 60% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase from businesses that use memes in their marketing.
Why? Because memes aren’t just content, they’re communication. They’re how younger audiences process news, express identity, and build community.
If you’re not memeing, you’re not in the playing field of today’s scroll-happy landscape.
Let’s break down why meme fluency is no longer optional, and how to wield it like the sharp marketing tool it is.
Who run the internet? MEMES.
If you’ve opened a social media job description in 2025, you’ve probably seen this line: “Must be culturally fluent in memes, TikTok trends, and internet culture.”
This isn’t fluff.
Enterprise brands are realizing that being in on the joke isn’t just fun, it’s profitable.
Why memes work:
They’re fast, familiar, and frictionless. Memes are easily recognizable and emotionally resonant, letting brands ride the wave of familiarity without needing a big production budget.
They speak the language of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. These audiences don’t just consume memes, they co-create them. Memes are the medium through which younger consumers express identity, values, and humor.
They travel across platforms. A meme born on TikTok can live on Instagram, reappear as a tweet, and end up on Reddit. That’s cross-platform magic no paid media plan can replicate.
And it’s not just youth-focused brands catching on. Nowadays, we’re even seeing TSA lean into meme-forward content (not for the clout, but for the connection).
Memes are born from culture.
Here’s the thing: memes don’t just respond to culture, they become the culture.
When done right, they blur the line between fan behavior and brand strategy. They don’t follow the moment, they define it.
Charli XCX’s Brat era wasn’t your average album rollout. It was a green-squared, fan-fueled chaos spiral that took over the internet. Meme-ready moments weren’t an afterthought, they were the marketing plan. The fans didn’t just listen, they participated, turning inside jokes and bootleg edits into digital currency.
Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos turned nostalgia into a meme format. The album rollout ditched traditional hype for lo-fi photo dumps, minimal press, and soft-focus storytelling that let fans create the lore. As Vogue notes, it felt like “a scrapbook of scattered memories,” and the memes matched: faux film scans, blurry selfies, and melancholic captions like “we used to be happy here” flooded timelines. It was personal branding meets other relatable experiences and it worked.
Saltburn’s bathtub scene? Meme lightning in a bottle. In under a week, TikTokers turned one provocative scene into a viral edit trend, with brands, influencers, and even university accounts jumping in. The takeaway? When a meme format hits a nerve, its reach becomes exponential, and the smartest marketers ride the wave, not force it.
In short: meme culture isn’t reacting to pop culture. It is pop culture.
Memes as fandom currency.
Here’s where it gets really interesting: memes are no longer one-size-fits-all content. They’re increasingly becoming tools of niche community building—the kind that speaks directly to identity, values, and shared language. In other words: memes are psychographic GOLD.
Psychographics are increasingly central to how brands build meaningful connections. Approximately 62% of U.S. adults somewhat or strongly agreed that they tend to buy brands that reflect their personal values, and memes offer a low-lift, high-impact way to show cultural fluency in those spaces.
Memes allow brands to:
Tap into fandoms without pandering, whether it's gamers, Swifties, or anime lovers.
Spark inside jokes that make consumers feel seen for a #ifkyk feel.
React in real time to cultural moments that matter to your audience.
Think of memes as the middle ground between strategy and spontaneity. You need enough context to hit the right note, but enough creativity to make it your own.
When used well, memes don’t just get likes, they build loyalty.
How to meme like a marketer (without the cringe)
Ready to bring meme marketing into your strategy? Here’s how to do it thoughtfully:
Stay in the loop—DAILY.
Make time for scrolling. Use tools like Know Your Meme to track trending formats.Don’t force it.
If you don’t get the joke, don’t post the joke. Meme marketing flops when brands try too hard to be in on something they don’t fully understand. You don't want to be slapped with a "silence, brand!"Build a meme bank.
Keep a shared doc or message thread where your team can drop memes, formats, and ideas. When something timely comes up, you’ll have inspiration ready.Give your brand a POV.
Memes are all about tone. What’s your brand voice? Chaotic good? Sass with class? A little unhinged, but lovable? Stick to it.Be okay with being first.
Some memes are better when they simmer. If you miss the moment, remember, don’t force it.
Need-to-know resources:
Know Your Meme: The ultimate meme encyclopedia
Silence, Brand newsletter: Decoding trends and internet culture for brand marketers 3x a week
Can You Market Through Memes? (The VinePair Podcast)
What marketers can learn from Gen Z’s love of memes (AdAge)
The year the memes took over reality – and marketing followed (DigiDay)
TL;DR
Memes aren’t just a moment.
They’re a movement.
Memes are no longer a “nice to have.” They’re the native language of digital-first generations, the glue of fandoms, and the fastest route to cultural relevance. The best part? When done well, memes can drive massive impact with minimal spend.
Memes tell stories and show your brand’s personality.
In a world of perfectly curated grids and AI-polished posts, memes bring back the messy, chaotic, deeply personal joy of the internet.
Whether you’re building your own meme vocabulary or pitching meme strategy to your CMO, just know this: Memes are marketing, and in 2025, being culturally fluent isn’t optional—it’s essential.
If you’re not memeing, you’re missing out.
Social Media Manager, Influencer Marketer and Creative Strategist
