Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / How Brands Use Social Media Memes as Marketing Strategy
Transcript
- Lucas: You know how corporate social media used to be this perfectly curated, approval chain heavy, everything-must-be-on-brand mess? Luna: Oh, I remember. The days of the three-sentence caption with two emojis and a link in bio. Lucas: Exactly. Well, in the past two years, there's been a shift — and it's happening right in front of us. More and more brands are abandoning that polished look and leaning hard into internet memes as a legitimate marketing tactic. Luna: You mean like… posting a blurry screenshot of a tweet with some reaction text? That kind of thing? Lucas: Exactly that — but also original memes, remixes of trending formats, even outright absurdist humor. And it's not just a few edgy startups. I'm talking about the Duolingo owl doing unhinged TikTok dances, Wendy's roasting strangers on Twitter, even Ryanair jumping on the 'we're a cheap airline and we know it' meme train. Luna: So what's driving this? Is it just because algorithms love engagement? Lucas: That's part of it. But there's a deeper structural reason. Social platforms — especially Instagram and TikTok — have been deprioritizing polished, ad-like content. They want native, low-production, authentic-seeming posts. Memes check all those boxes. They feel like something a friend would share, not something a brand paid an agency to produce. Luna: And there's a psychological layer too, right? The whole 'in-group' signal — if you get the meme, you're part of the club. Lucas: Exactly. When a brand posts a meme that lands, it signals cultural fluency. It says, 'We're not a faceless corporation — we actually understand the internet.' That builds affinity way faster than a generic 'we care about our customers' post. Luna: But it's a double-edged sword. If the meme misses, it looks desperate. Or worse — cringey. Lucas: Absolutely. There's a fine line between 'we're in on the joke' and 'hello, fellow kids.' The brands that do it well have one thing in common: they've built a consistent, recognizable voice first. Then they apply meme formats within that voice. Luna: So it's not just reposting whatever's trending. It's about knowing who you are as a brand before you try to be funny. Lucas: Right. Let's look at Duolingo. Their TikTok account is essentially one big inside joke — the owl is a chaotic, slightly unhinged character. When they post a meme, it feels like a continuation of that character, not a random attempt at virality. Luna: And Wendy's — they built their entire Twitter persona around being a little bit rude. So when they clap back at someone it's funny, not mean-spirited, because the audience knows the bit. Lucas: Exactly. The audience becomes complicit. They anticipate the joke. That's when meme marketing really works — when the audience is waiting for the next post. Luna: So what about the actual metrics? Does meme marketing actually drive conversions, or is it just a vanity play for likes? Lucas: There's some good data now. A 2025 study from Later — the social scheduling platform — found that meme-format posts on Instagram Stories had a 33 percent higher swipe-up rate compared to standard branded content. And on TikTok, meme-style videos had a 27 percent higher completion rate. Luna: That's significant. Especially with swipe-up — that's a direct action, not just a passive like. Lucas: Exactly. And the organic reach benefit is even bigger. Algorithms reward content that people interact with quickly — memes are almost designed to get a quick laugh and a share. That sends a strong signal to the platform. Luna: But there's a downside, right? Memes have a short shelf life. A format might be hot for like three days, then it's dead. Lucas: That's the biggest operational challenge. If your brand has a multi-week approval process, by the time the meme posts, it's already stale. The brands that succeed have either a very nimble social team or they've prepped audiences to expect a certain vibe, so they can riff within that. Luna: So it's less about chasing every trend and more about having a broad comedic voice that can latch onto trends quickly. Lucas: Yes. And honestly, some of the best meme marketing doesn't even use the hottest trend. It uses a classic format — like the 'distracted boyfriend' meme or the 'this is fine' dog — but applies it to a brand-specific situation. That's evergreen enough to work for months. Luna: I want to talk about the risks, because I think a lot of marketers are probably nervous. What about brand safety? What if a meme format gets co-opted by something toxic? Lucas: That's a real concern. The 'OK hand' gesture meme, for example, got co-opted by white supremacists for a while. If you'd posted that as a brand in 2019, you'd have had a crisis on your hands. So brands need a rapid response plan — and they need someone on the team who actually understands internet culture deeply, not just a junior intern. Luna: And there's also the risk of over-saturation. If every brand starts doing it, the whole thing loses its edge. Memes work partly because they feel subversive — if everyone's a clown, no one is. Lucas: That's a great point. Already, I'm seeing some brands pull back. They realize that not every product or category benefits from a humorous approach. If you're a funeral home or a cancer treatment center, memes are probably not your lane. Luna: But what about B2B? Or regulated industries like finance or pharma? Can they ever get in on this? Lucas: It's harder, but not impossible. The key is to keep the humor focused on the pain point, not the product. For example, a B2B software company could meme about the horror of spreadsheets — everyone relates to that. Or a bank could make a lighthearted joke about forgetting your PIN. The moment you make fun of the customer's problem, you're building empathy. Luna: So the rule is: make fun of the situation, not the customer, and never make fun of the product itself unless you're very confident in your brand's self-awareness. Lucas: That's a great rule of thumb. And always, always test the water with a small audience first. Post a meme to your Stories, see how it performs, then decide if you want to put it on the main feed. Luna: Let's talk about the tools. How do brands actually create memes? Are they using templates, or is everything custom? Lucas: Most start with templates. There are sites like Kapwing or Canva that have meme template libraries. The smart brands customize them — change the font, add their brand colors, maybe a subtle logo. But the worst thing you can do is slap your logo on a meme in a way that feels obtrusive. That kills the authenticity. Luna: Right, because memes are supposed to feel like they were made by a person, not a corporation. Lucas: Exactly. Some brands even go a step further and create original meme characters — like the 'Gritty' style mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers, which became a huge meme in its own right. That's the holy grail: create something that the internet itself memes further. Luna: That's a whole different level, though. Not every brand can pull off a Gritty. Lucas: No, and they shouldn't try to force it. The safest entry point is just to start reacting to cultural moments in a way that feels true to your brand. Post a 'this is fine' meme when your industry is facing a small crisis. Show that you have a sense of humor about the situation. Luna: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support. People can buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, that's really appreciated. It's what keeps this show independent and lets us dive into niche topics like this without worrying about sponsorships. Luna: Exactly. So back to the strategy — what's the one piece of advice you'd give to a marketer who wants to start but is scared of getting roasted? Lucas: Start with your own audience. Post a meme to your email list or your private community. If they laugh, you're probably safe to go public. If they're confused, you need to refine the joke or the format. Luna: That's smart — because your most loyal fans are also the most forgiving. And they'll tell you honestly if it works. Lucas: Right. And the other thing is: don't be afraid to fail. The internet forgives a bad joke much faster than it forgives a boring brand. At least a failed meme shows you tried to connect. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Try, fail, learn, try again — but make sure you're actually being funny, not just loud. Lucas: Exactly. Next episode, we're going to talk about something completely different — social media's role in the creator economy and how brands are restructuring their budgets to pay creators like partners, not vendors. Luna: Looking forward to it. See you next time. Lucas: Take care, everyone.