Embracing Visual Imagery in Campaigns
Social media platforms can change at a rapid pace, and this is especially visible with some of the newer platforms, such as Instagram or TikTok. Specifically, these two platforms have been seeing a lot more authenticity and a lot less sophistication, which has led to a great surge in sharing content such as memes. This is a type of social media content that’s typically humorous and is rapidly copied and shared in digital communities with different variations.
However, it’s not just regular people that have embraced sharing memes and humorous content on social media, it’s influencers and brands too.
With Instagram specifically, a platform that was long considered a place where people could share aesthetically pleasing images of their lives and themselves, which were highly produced and largely staged. These kinds of posts are now going out of style, and more natural and organic content is slowly taking over the platform.
This is even more apparent with younger generations, who are a lot more interested in seeing the brands and influencers that are interactive be more transparent and raw, instead of perfectly polished and “on brand”.
Why the Shift?
This sudden change in content and culture has a few different reasons behind it. One of them being the fact that these staged and polished photos have started to feel too bland for users. Also, given the sheer number of influencers that follow this cookie-cutter strategy, it’s difficult for others to cut through all the noise.
These days, one of the best ways that brands can get more engagement from their younger audiences is to share different types of memes – from relatable, to entertaining, and even witty. These images are a great way for companies to share a common feeling or perspective with the audience while putting that feeling in a succinct visual that anyone can understand.
It’s Not All About the Laughs
One thing that’s important for marketers to remember is that not all memes need to be funny. Many people tend to enjoy this form of content when it takes a specific perspective and shares it in a creative and clever twist, thereby connecting with the audience over a universally-shared experience.
A great way to go about sharing memes with the audience is first to understand whether memes are going to resonate with the audience and if they fit the brand’s tone and voice. Once that’s established, it becomes easy to look for inspiration across other social media platforms and source memes that will connect and engage with the audience.
Use Content that is Brand Related
One more important thing that marketers should note is that no matter where the meme is sourced from, it still should relate back to the product that’s being promoted. A great example of this is how Sparknotes, whose core audience is learners, is able to create memes that are sourced from pop culture but relate back to the products and services the company provides its consumers.
