They all became must-haves not through famous magazine features, but because the internet couldn’t stop talking about them.
What Experts Say
1) Memes are the new marketing superpower
According to Vibrant Brands, Duolingo and Chipotle are masters of meme marketing. Duolingo’s landing on memes before they explode keeps them fresh; Chipotle uses challenges and memes to turn cups and lids into cultural currencytheatlantic.com+1adlift.com+1thepopinsider.com+4supersage.co+4deal.town+4vibrantbrands.com.
2) React fast, stay real
SuperSage highlights that speed and authenticity are the secret sauce. Ocean Spray gifted Nathan Apodaca a truck within 24 hours of his viral video, and Stanley rewarded a burning mug clip with a new car—results: billions of impressions and millions in earned media supersage.co.
Our Take
Brands don’t need massive budgets—they need to be nimble, genuine, and ready to join conversations. Memes are cultural shorthand. If a brand signals “we see you” in the right moment, it doesn’t look like advertising—it feels like friendship.
But there’s a catch: forced memes flop fast. Gucci nailed it by commissioning meme-worthy content like #TFWGucci gifs—organic feel, strong branding. When it’s fake, audiences smell it and move onteenvogue.com+4coinomist.com+4supersage.co+4.
3 Action Steps
1) Build a “Meme & Moment” War Room
• Assemble a cross-functional squad: community manager, copywriter, designer—all on Slack.
• Set alerts for viral spikes (e.g. Reddit, TikTok trending page).
• Trigger strategy: within 12 hours post-spike, brainstorm quick-turn content—post, react, iterate daily.
2) Pre‑plan meme-ready “product triggers”
• Create a library of flexible assets (static & video) tied to your product’s benefits.
• Tag them by tone: funny, celebratory, empathetic.
• When a meme hits, match tone to your library and twist with your brand voice in 2–3 hours max. No second‑guessing.
3) Reward real meme-creators, don’t steal
• Use UGC as co‑creative: like IKEA did with Bernie sanders—don’t mock or reuse without credit.
• Launch a micro merch drop when a meme meets product fit (e.g., Simpsons socks, meme mugs).
• Tag creators, pay a small fee or offer product credit. That turns meme energy into real engagement and trust.
Meme marketing works when you’re fast, real, and respectful.
Turn cultural moments into connective moments.
Get set. Go viral.
Written by Natalie Manvelyan
