Advertising to Gen-Z college students with memes? A focus group study

Abstract

Purpose As a result of increasingly pervasive public social media use over the past decade, brands and marketers have begun to use internet memes as digital advertising vehicles, with some using specialized professionals to create memetic ad content. Despite this, little scholarly research on the phenomenon has appeared. This study aims to provide exploratory evidence for how older members of Generation Z (Gen-Z), a digitally native cohort, perceive and regard brands’ use of internet memes as advertisements. Design/methodology/approach A series of six focus groups conducted with older Gen-Z undergraduates at a large Western US university yields consonant and dissonant beliefs and perspectives about this emergent and conceivably powerful advertising and marketing practice. Findings Participants express that memetic advertising has potential for nonserious, lighthearted brands with a consistent social media presence but less potential for serious brands or brands that try to appropriate meme culture for financial gain. The importance of humor, cultural narratives and social connections as they relate to internet meme culture is inherent in these discussions. Originality/value This study joins a small body of work examining the effectiveness, viability and limitations of memetic advertising as an online advertising venture. Implications and prescriptive advice are offered.