Fostering brand love through branded memes on social media

Purpose This study aims to investigate the psychological mechanisms underpinning the impact of branded memes on brand love on social media. Design/methodology/approach Using a self-reported online survey, data from 479 verified Facebook users were analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine the interrelationships among sense of liberation, perceived trendiness, hedonic engagement, perceived humor, self-brand connection and brand love. Findings The results indicate that a sense of liberation significantly influences self-brand connection but does not directly affect perceived humor. Perceived trendiness is a key predictor of both perceived humor and self-brand connection. However, hedonic engagement has no substantial effect on perceived humor or self-brand connections. Importantly, perceived humor plays a crucial role in strengthening self-brand connections and fostering brand love. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical exploration to showcase the consumer brand love formation process facilitated by branded memes, offering valuable insights into meme-marketing strategies. This highlights the importance of perceived humor and trendiness in enhancing brand love through social media platforms.