Why Memes For Business and Ads Don’t Always Mix: What Brands Get Wrong About Internet Culture
- Paul Brown
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
Published by Spotlight Marketing Solutions, LLC – May 13, 2025
In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, brands are constantly chasing cultural relevance. And what’s more relevant than a viral meme, right? The allure of memes lies in their ability to capture attention quickly, often with humor or relatability, making them an enticing option for marketers aiming to connect with their audiences in a meaningful way.
Wrong—at least, most of the time.
While memes are indeed powerful tools for engagement, using memes for business effectively in advertising is far trickier than many marketers realize. In fact, when brands attempt to force memes into their advertising campaigns, they often miss the mark entirely—and this misstep can cost them not only trust and credibility but also conversions and customer loyalty.
Let’s break down why memes and ads usually don’t mix, and what you should consider before trying to “go viral.” Understanding the nuances of meme culture is essential for any brand hoping to navigate this complex landscape.
What Are Memes, Really?
Memes are cultural shorthand that encapsulate shared ideas, emotions, or commentary, often in a humorous or satirical manner. They can manifest in various forms, ranging from simple reaction images and GIFs to complex video trends that evolve over time, especially on platforms like TikTok. Memes thrive on the internet’s rapid pace, adapting quickly to current events, trends, and social dynamics.
What makes memes work is authenticity and timing. They are typically created by individuals or communities rather than corporations, rooted in a shared understanding of cultural references and experiences. The second something feels too curated, overly polished, or driven by corporate interests, it loses its spark and often fails to resonate with the audience,
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Why Brands Struggle with Meme Marketing
1. Memes Are Meant to Be Organic
You can’t manufacture virality. Brands that attempt to shoehorn a meme into their paid ads often come across as tone-deaf or out-of-touch. What was funny two weeks ago could feel outdated—or worse, cringeworthy—today. This fleeting nature of humor means that brands must be incredibly agile and aware of the current cultural landscape.
Example: Remember when corporations started using the “How do you do, fellow kids?” energy on Twitter? It backfired spectacularly. The meme was already old, the execution was stiff and forced, and the audience felt pandered to rather than engaged. This led to a backlash that damaged the brand's reputation.
2. They Dilute the Brand Message
When you insert a meme into a marketing message, you risk shifting the focus away from your product or service and onto whether or not the meme was used correctly. Instead of reinforcing your brand identity and message, you’re now in a debate about your attempt at humor. This can lead to confusion about what your brand stands for and may alienate potential customers who don’t share the same sense of humor.
3. Memes For Business Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All
A meme that works for a Gen Z clothing brand probably won’t land the same way for a real estate firm or a B2B SaaS company. Each brand has its unique audience with distinct preferences and behaviors. Brands need to have a deep understanding of their audience’s online behavior, interests, and cultural nuances before jumping on trends. Misjudging this can lead to disastrous results.
When Meme Marketing Does Work
There are exceptions to the rule. Some brands, like Wendy’s or Duolingo, have successfully embraced memes by integrating them into their overall brand strategy. However, these companies didn’t just slap a meme onto a stock photo and call it a day. They built entire brand voices around internet humor, leaned into absurdity, and gave their social media teams the freedom to experiment and engage authentically with their audiences.
The key takeaway? Meme marketing works when it’s native to your brand, not bolted on as an afterthought. It requires a genuine understanding of the meme's context and the ability to weave it seamlessly into the brand narrative.
JUST HAVE FUN and STOP trying to advertise!
For instance, here's a meme we created for one of our long-standing clients, Dive Bar in North Carolina.
Note: you will not see the company branding ANYWHERE in this meme, it simply relates to being out at the bar and denotes a funny, quirky, and human situation. That's it.
The result? 2 Million Views.
That wasn't the first, or the only viral Reel for Dive Bar. It all started with this one was from what I remember the very first time it clicked for me,.,Memes CAN work in a business setting, as long as you leave business behind and just act like a human(The Wendy's Effect).
The result? 14,2 Million Views.
A couple seconds, a simple caption, a recognizable song. Not a single mention of Dive Bar or coming to see us, no "we're open from ___ to ___" or specials. Just telling everyone watching that they need a beer after work.
Here's where you come in and doubt me with-
"Yeah that's cool and all but it's an arcade bar, it's already a fun brand. Try doing something "less fun" and see if that works"
I'm SO glad you said that. I'd like to introduce you to GoMobile Tires of Greater Philadelphia, which is basically a mobile tire van that'll come to your work, home or kid's baseball game and change out your wheels, replace tires, change your oil, etc....pretty straightforward right? Boring, even?
Doesn't have to be, and we've proved it. The meme below relied on one thing, an unhinged thing that many driveway mechanics have done or have thought about doing in the past.
The result? 3.4 Million views. Thank you, Art The Clown!
Now THIS is where you're supposed to say
"Ok, so you've made a couple of Instagram Reels go viral. What have you done on Facebook, Mr. MemeMaster?"
Oh, child- that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever called me. Since you've asked...
I'll be the first one to admit- Facebook Reels are a tough nut to crack. Facebook doesn't hinge all traffic on Reels and Stories much like it's Purple/Pink Icon'd Counterpart, but every now and then you can make magic happen.
This bad-boy went bonkers on Facebook racking up 820,000 views, and 16,615 total reaction. The Instagram version got 3,500 views. Proof that the two networks are vastly different.
That's not even the biggest one on FB for their account. For some reason the visible preview can't be seen here, but this video has nearly 2 million views and all it does is touch the souls of anyone who's ever had a project car sitting next to their house forever.
The only downside of this one? People started making the post political blaming whomstsoever is in office for an impending nuclear war. Look past that and enjoy the engagement, It'll die down.
Final Thoughts: Memes Are a Language, Not a Shortcut.
Memes are fun, creative, and an integral part of the way we communicate online. They represent a unique language of their own, filled with inside jokes and cultural references that can be difficult to navigate. However, they are also highly contextual, easily misused, and rarely make for good ad campaigns unless you have the time, talent, and voice to pull it off effectively.
If your brand wants to be funny, start by being human—not just “internet trendy.” Authenticity and relatability will always resonate more deeply with your audience than a fleeting attempt at humor that doesn’t align with your brand's identity.
Want help building an authentic digital marketing strategy that doesn’t rely on trends? Drop us a line to talk strategy that actually works and can elevate your brand in a meaningful way.
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