The Evolution of Meme Marketing: From Subculture to Mainstream Marketing Strategy

Meme marketing has become an integral aspect of brand communication and actions due to its ability to combine humor, relatability, and culture to reach target audiences. Memes have transformed from subculture artifacts to multifaceted marketing tools that shape public attitude and spending towards products and services. In this regard, this study traces the history of meme marketing and evaluates its success in increasing consumer engagement, brand perception, and intention to purchase. This paper fills in the cultural gap by examining the interaction of cultural relevance, memetic virality, humor appeal, and brand integration as factors in meme marketing. Also, the study evaluates the art of meme making through different changing environments, examining ethical boundaries, cross-cultural boundaries, and the micropolitics of social media algorithmic governance meme disputes. The relevance of the results lies in deepening the understanding of the strategic relevance of meme marketing and providing brand owners with relevant information to formulate effective strategies for online communication. It also points to the increased necessity for more practical investigations into the effects of meme marketing on the intention and loyalty of consumers over time. Keywords: Meme marketing, digital culture, brand perception, consumer engagement, social media marketing, humor appeal, brand loyalty, memetic virality, marketing strategy, cultural relevance