Millennials and Gen Zs commonly share memes such as GIFs, videos, text posts, or basic images with each other via conversations and across their social media platforms. Memes gained popularity because of their unique and humorous way of conveying attitudes, feelings, and situations. In fact, surveys have found that at least two-thirds of millennials and Gen Z frequently share memes on social media.

Today, many Nigerian brands have incorporated memes into their marketing strategies because of their entertainment value. Memes are highly shareable and provide a fun, effortless way to connect with audiences and increase engagement rates. This trend has given rise to meme marketing.

What is Meme Marketing?

Meme marketing refers to the use of memes to promote a specific product, brand, or brand narrative using humor as a primary mode of engagement.

It can be implemented through various channels such as a brand’s social media, paid ads, outbound marketing, blog posts, cold emails, and so on.

Nigerian brands have realized that incorporating memes in their marketing strategy can be an effective way to engage with their target audience and create brand awareness.

However, meme marketing should be executed with tact and thoughtfulness. Brands need to ensure that the memes they use are appropriate and align with their brand values.

A poorly executed meme campaign can lead to reputation damage.

When executed correctly, meme marketing can be highly effective in reaching a younger, tech-savvy audience. According to Amra and Elma study, over 60% of people say they would be more likely to buy from a company that uses memes in their marketing.

Meme Marketing Tips

To begin crafting your brand memes, consider using a free online meme creation tool such as Canva. However, keep an eye out for current trends and cultural references that match your brand, as reworking these types of memes can often generate more engagement than creating original content.

Here are some additional tips for effective meme marketing:

1. Understand your audience
2. Stay consistent with your brand’s tone and personality
3. Keep your memes simple, innovative, and current
4. Avoid memes that are vulgar or offensive
5. Pay attention to timing
6. Most importantly, have fun with it!

Meme Marketing Examples by Popular Nigerian Brands

1. She Leads Africa

She Leads Africa is a digital media platform dedicated to empowering and supporting African women in their business and career pursuits. 

As part of their marketing and engagement strategy, they have effectively incorporated memes into their content mix. By using relatable cultural references, their memes have resonated with their audience and helped to create a strong sense of community. Their blog posts are a brilliant example.

2. Netflix Nigeria

Memes that resonate with people the most are those that use familiar content such as stills from movies or images from significant news events but give it a fresh spin that elicits a response.

Netflix Naija understands this and their clever use of their vast media library to curate timely and comical memes has catapulted them to the forefront of content creation. Their exceptional approach was notably evident in the 2023 International Women’s Day Campaign, which perfectly showcased their meme collection.

3. Careerbuddy

Memes are universally loved because laughter is an integral part of human nature. Nowadays, individuals employ memes as a means of connecting with both friends and strangers through light-hearted humor, providing temporary relief from stress. 

Careerbuddy is well aware of this phenomenon and their followers eagerly anticipate their weekly “career musing dumps” on Fridays as a means to alleviate work-related stress through humor.

4. Kraks TV

Kraks TV excels in user-generated content as an entertainment brand, but its mastery lies in crafting its own memes, which are humorous. Here’s an example.

5. Zikoko

Zikoko, a pop culture publication brand, has effectively employed memes to capture and document the experiences of African youth. Their creation of Zikoko memes, the first-ever African meme bank, has positioned them as leaders in the industry.

Conclusion

Although meme marketing in Nigeria is a relatively new concept, you can leverage the power of free online meme-creation tools and learn from the successful aforementioned examples of popular Nigerian brands to create engaging and relevant memes that connect with your audience.

I hope this article was insightful. Do well to leave a comment and share it with others.