From Meme to Market: How Viral Trends Drive Brand Awareness

By Jess Taylor

What started as a way to share jokes and funny trends online with your friends has become a vital tool in modern-day marketing strategies. Many brands worldwide use social media and viral trends as marketing leverage to target certain audiences, and it works! Most traditional forms of marketing have a more professional, formal approach to reaching audiences that is effective but oftentimes only for very specific demographics.

Whereas marketing using viral trends and memes from social media is appealing to consumers because of how informal and humorous this type of advertisement is. Being able to incorporate funny, relatable content into their brand’s marketing strategy can be the jackpot to gaining online engagement and brand awareness. The humor within a meme marketing strategy often encourages viewers to engage more with the campaign than they would with other marketing approaches. Consumers viewing an advertisement that references a viral trend they’ve seen creates a positive emotional impact on them.

This method of marketing is particularly popular and effective with consumers aged 13 to 38. Mostly a mix of Gen Z and Millennials, many are highly engaged in social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and more. Gen Z, in particular, is the most engaged in social media marketing compared to other generations. Growing up surrounded by technology and social media, Gen Z often uses these platforms to discover new products, keep up with trends, and gain insight into products and brands. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index, 89% of Gen Z social media users are on Instagram, 84% are on YouTube, and 82% are on TikTok. For brands, this creates an incredible opportunity to use these platforms by finding what their target audience engages with and using it to boost their brand.

How Brands Make Meme Marketing Effective

1) Creating an Emotional and Psychological Connection

When a brand accurately understands viral trends and memes and displays them positively in their marketing, it leaves a warm feeling with the consumer. This can create a bridge of trust between the brand and the consumer, allowing the consumer to view the brand as more than just a large corporation. Consumers perceive brands more positively when they feel an emotional connection to what is being promoted. It creates a sense of belonging for the consumer.

2) Focusing on Performance, Engagement, and Shareability

Since this marketing tactic uses viral trends to enhance humor, this type of content often outperforms traditional marketing approaches. Traditional marketing can feel too formal or polished, making it seem out of place or unrelatable. In contrast, advertising that hops on a popular trend on TikTok can fit perfectly into the algorithm of the target audience. If the advertisement appeals to the viewer, engagement increases as they share it with friends, spreading the brand’s message quickly.

3) Creating a Memorable Brand Voice

Meme marketing allows brands to seem approachable and comfortable from the perspective of the viewer. By creating an online environment and showing they are comfortable joking around and keeping up with trends their audience enjoys, brands demonstrate that they care about their consumers’ interests. It is crucial for the brand to build trust and security with consumers. According to Sprout Social, nearly 90% of Gen Z say a brand’s social media presence impacts whether they trust the brand. A positive brand voice and presence leave a lasting, pleasant impression on consumers, boosting online presence.

Examples of Meme Marketing in Action

Netflix on Instagram

Netflix is a great example of a brand that uses meme marketing because, as a streaming service, they can use images or shots from their productions to create marketing memes. This is effective because Netflix’s target audience is mostly younger people under 35. By referencing one of their original shows, “You,” Netflix creates a humorous and relatable environment for their audience, demonstrating an informal but effective marketing approach.

The Savannah Bananas on TikTok

The Savannah Bananas, a baseball team, successfully used TikTok for meme marketing in 2023. One video showed a player lip-syncing and dancing to Lizzy McAlpine’s song “Ceilings” while wearing a dress under his uniform. By hopping on a popular trend, the team reached a wide audience and engaged fans both online and in real life. This strategy helped build a fun, humorous, and positive brand personality, gaining millions of followers on TikTok.

Conclusion

As digital marketing continues to evolve, using viral trends and memes in campaigns is more than just a fun post. It is an effective way for brands to reach their target audiences in unique ways. Brands that are creative and resonate with viewers are turning audiences into customers. By embracing social media trends and authenticity, brands can stand out, shape public perception, and leave lasting impressions. Meme marketing is not just the future of marketing—it is the bridge between culture, creativity, and communication.

References

https://www.superside.com/blog/meme-marketing-examples https://sproutsocial.com/insights/gen-z-social-media/