Memes are a cultural phenomenon that permeates the digital age. Often, they evoke humor or provide a new perspective. Because they cross all demographics and are a common media type, they have a place in advertising. Using memes in ad campaigns can drive a lot of engagement when executed well.
To liven up your customers’ ads, share these tips with them on leveraging memes.
What Is a Meme?
First, let’s define it and explain it to advertisers. Memes are pieces of media that capture a concept, idea or opinion. They can be in the form of a GIF, video or static image. When using memes in ad campaigns, advertisers should follow certain best practices to ensure the tactic will resonate with the audience.
Memes work because they are funny, timely, and a break from traditional advertising. They should follow a set of best practices, too.
Creative Best Practices for Memes in Advertising
When discussing the option with advertisers, keep these best practices in mind:
- Make it recognizable: Memes are a pop culture element, so they must feel familiar to the customer. When this occurs, audiences have better recall, boosting the advertiser’s visibility.
- Don’t be offensive: Being humorous is great, but they don’t want to cross a line and become viral for all the wrong reasons.
- Ensure the right tone: Deploy memes relevant to the advertiser’s audience and in line with their brand.
- Follow the meme “rulebook” for design and content: Keep it short, label it with a large, easy-to-read font, and don’t attempt to change a well-known meme.
Those are the unofficial rules of meme advertising. Let’s look at ways you can deploy to deliver ROI for your advertisers.
Memes in Ad Campaigns: Inspirations and Ideas
Proposing meme advertising should include some inspired ideas. Here are several to consider.
Create Ads with Venn Diagrams
Venn diagrams are a popular meme component. It involves two aspects that seem to be unrelated and demonstrates where they overlap. They are a great way to show a product’s cumulative benefits. Check out the example below!
Spotlight Solutions with Avoiding and Agreeing Options
Several memes, including ones that feature Drake, describe a situation and show two options. The first is rejected, and the second is accepted. It’s a great way to compare a product.
Capitalize on the “How It Started, How It’s Going” Meme
If your advertisers want to impart the benefits of their products or services, the “how it started, how it’s going” meme is a winner. It can work on many levels, from small-scale to large-scale transformations your client can provide. Here’s an example for a local organizational company.
Find Humor with “Here’s To” Memes
Advertisers can celebrate customers with these memes, which can work with many business types. The central message of the meme should be that the customer has made a grand choice or decision. Here’s an example for a landscaping company.
Celebrate the “Yes” Moments for Customers
The “yes” face of that precocious toddler is meme royalty. It’s a cute way to showcase a customer’s “aha” moment that comes about because of the advertiser. Here’s an example for a local telecom company.
Creating Memes for Ad Campaigns
If your advertisers need graphics help, there are meme maker tools, including:
These tools can help them build images and videos for meme advertising.
Using Memes for Ad Campaigns Can Make Them Memorable
Advertising needs to be memorable to have an impact. The humor, fun and familiarity of memes make them an outstanding creative option. With these ideas, you can help your advertisers connect with audiences and drive conversions.
For more creative best practices, check out the posts in this category.
