Meme or Miss? Meme-conomy becoming your frenemy

Memes are no longer just Internet jokes—they’re snapshots of cultural attitudes, amplified by humor and virality. In public relations, mastering the art of navigating memes could mean the difference between becoming an icon or a pariah.

5️⃣ Key Insights Into Memes That Will Change Your PR Strategy

1. Memes are cultural mirrors: Memes reflect the cultural and emotional zeitgeist of a moment. They can expose societal undercurrents, making them valuable tools for brands to gauge audience sentiment — or inadvertently showcase their disconnect.

2. Memes are relational, not just transactional: Beyond virality, memes thrive on a shared meaning. They’re not just marketing tools; they build rapport, aligning a brand with its audience's humor, values or frustrations.

3. Self-deprecation wins: Consumers love brands that don’t take themselves too seriously. Humor, when used tactfully, can disarm critics and trolls alike.

4. Memes aren’t free PR: Viral attention can backfire if you’re unprepared to handle the spotlight. Engage strategically to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale.

5. Control is an illusion: Once your brand enters meme territory, expect it to evolve beyond your original intent. Embrace the chaos or risk irrelevance.

   
   
   
   

Turning Trolls into Fans

• KFC’s chicken shortage: When UK outlets ran out of chicken, KFC didn’t cluck around. Their “FCK” ad was a masterstroke of humor, transforming a crisis into a moment of relatability that resonated across audiences.

  
  
  
  

• Subway Surfers: nostalgia on repeat: The simple mobile game has ridden a wave of meme-fueled nostalgia. By leaning into their audience’s obsession with absurd memes, they’ve turned a basic gaming app into a cultural touchpoint.

These brands prove that humor and self-awareness can turn even mundane situations into gold memes.

How Not to Handle Internet Culture

• #DeleteUber campaign (2017): Uber found itself at the center of a viral crisis when the company continued to operate during a taxi strike at JFK Airport in protest against Trump's immigration policies. Uber's attempt to "remain neutral" by offering regular fares during the strike led to accusations of opportunism. Memes and the hashtag #DeleteUber quickly spread, leading to massive user defections and a significant loss of brand trust.

• Deepwater Horizon: In 2010, BP's attempt to use humor to downplay the severity of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill backfired spectacularly when a parody account, @BPGlobalPR, went viral. The satirical Twitter account mockingly offered updates and “apologies,” turning the company’s bungled public relations into a meme sensation. Instead of helping the brand, it amplified public outrage, showing how inappropriate use of humor and memes can escalate a crisis

In the End…

Memes serve as both mirrors of culture and architects of its evolution. Brands that understand their power — and navigate them with wit and strategy — can thrive even in moments of crisis. For those that don’t? The Internet is always watching, one punchline away from a PR disaster.

To go further : 

• https://pracademy.co.uk/insights/how-seriously-should-communicators-take-memes/

• François JOST, Est-ce que tu mèmes ? De la parodie à la pandémie numérique. Paris, CNRS Éditions, 2022, 230 p.