Exploring the Humorous Dynamics of Brand Communication: A Verbal -Visual Analysis of Memes in Facebook Marketing Strategies

Abstract

Internet memes function as a humorous commentary on social, political, or emotional aspects of life, accompanied by static or animated graphics. Online marketing recognizes the potential of Internet memes, utilizing them to achieve business goals, reach a large user base, and build positive associations with a brand. This article analyzes the phenomenon of Internet memes in the context of brand promotion and creation. It delves into the humorous dimension of Internet memes and the role humor plays in the extracted research material. The article discusses events from 2021 that brands leveraged to build customer relationships and solidify their position in the broader social context. The research material consists of Internet memes published on the Facebook accounts of well-known brands in 2021. To capture the multi-layered, ambiguous content encapsulated in a concise visual message and to conduct a thorough exploration of Internet memes, both quantitative and qualitative analyses of the research material were employed. The results indicate that brands use memes to build a positive image, increase customer loyalty, and gain a competitive edge. Memes in marketing employ irony, sarcasm, or linguistic play to generate customer interest and enhance brand awareness.