Dear Dex,
Trying to cook up a meme strategy for the Q3 campaign.
The pressure is on to be that brand. The one that slides into the feed with the perfect, shareable snark. The one Gen Z and Millennials will actually want to see.
But here’s the existential marketing dread kicking in: am I on the cusp of crafting a brilliant, culturally relevant meme strategy that will actually drive ROI? Or am I just about to unleash a torrent of forced, try-hard “Me-too but Meh” content that will make us look like the embarrassing uncle at the family reunion?
The line feels razor thin. One wrong caption, one outdated format, and we’re not just invisible, we’re cringey. The article even used the word “cringe,” Dex! That’s my biggest fear!
Everyone’s doing it now. Netflix, Zomato, even Grammarly! It feels like we have to jump on the bandwagon. But what if our brand voice just doesn’t do snark? What if our attempts at humor fall flatter than a week-old piaya?
I’m staring at a blank meme template, Dex, and all I see is the potential for epic win… or epic fail. The avocado analogy in the article is hitting way too close to home. One minute it’s ripe for viral glory, the next it’s brown and mushy and everyone’s side-eyeing you.
Help! How do we walk this tightrope? How do we be authentically funny and relevant without just echoing what everyone else is doing? Is there a way to engineer genuine viral moments, or is it all just lightning in a bottle?
Send help (and maybe some meme inspiration that isn’t already three weeks old).
Marie
Hello Marie,
Okay, deep breaths! That meme strategy pressure is real. You’re right, it’s a tightrope walk between internet gold and awkward crickets (or worse, silence).
Here are some ideas:
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Be You (But Funnier). Don’t try to be a meme lord if it doesn’t fit your brand. Keep it real, just with a funny twist.
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Watch What’s Hot (Now!). Forget old memes. See what’s actually getting laughs today.
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Think “We All Do That”. Good memes hit on common experiences. Find those and make them relatable to your brand.
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Don’t Force It. If a meme doesn’t feel right, skip it. Trying too hard is a meme killer.
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Try Stuff, See What Sticks. Post some memes, see what people like. Learn and try again. It’s okay to have a few flops.
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Have a Point (Even a Small One). Why are you posting this meme? Does it make people like your brand a little more?
Basically: Be authentic, be timely, be relatable. Don’t be cringey, and learn as you go.
You got this! Now go make the internet chuckle (for the right reasons).
Keep it Simple,
-Dex
