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Les mèmes in vitro

Memes: A marketing tool for brands?

Stéphanie Marty
Traduction de Yarri Kamara
Cet article est une traduction de :
Le mème : un outil de branding pour les marques ? [fr]

Résumé

This article presents a study of memes published (on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok) by six particularly different brands (Oasis, Pulco, Panzani, Gucci, IKEA, and Netflix). Through a documentary corpus and thematic content analysis, the study brings to light various observations on brand memes. These are popular, unifying, porous, and viral content that can become particularly strategic de-branded branding tools for advertisers. Memes offer brands an opportunity to increase their virality, visibility, and image at a low cost without being accused of promotional hype.

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Texte intégral

Introduction

1With the development of the digital world and social media networks, the past few decades have seen a proliferation of memes: content constituted of still or animated images, often with humor (Taecharungroj & Nueangjamnong, 2015; Vasquez & Aslan, 2021), presenting a particular situation (Shifman, 2014; Renaud et al., 2016). These images—still or animated—through the phenomena of replication and sharing, become circulating and viral cultural objects most of the time (Dawkins, 1976). Over the last decade, the proliferation of memes has caught the attention of academia. Some researchers have highlighted their playful, funny (Vasquez & Aslan, 2021) and parodic (Jost, 2022) nature. Others have emphasized their identitarian and affective potential (Bédard & Girard, 2021), or have focused more specifically on the satirical, critical (Arkenbout et al., 2021), or even political (Denisova, 2019; Simon & Wagener, 2023) dimensions of memes. While these researchers most often paid attention to these specific aspects, few of them studied memes posted by commercial brands.

2Therefore, this article aims to focus on this yet little-explored area. The first part of the article presents the study’s methodological approach. The analysis is focused on memes published by six particularly different brands and on reactions from users. The second part presents the study’s results, highlighting several properties of the memes studied, notably their popular, viral and non-advert-like dimension (Patrin-Leclère et al., 2014). Lastly, I highlight how such characteristics potentially make memes strategic content for brands.

1. A study focused on memes from brands

1.1. Focus on six brands

  • 1 Oasis® is French beverage brand producing non-fizzy fruit drinks that belongs to Orange Suntory Fra (...)

3To explore brand memes, I established an empirical approach, anchored in qualitative methods (Paillé & Mucchielli, 2021) and focused on six trademarked brands: Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani and Pulco.1 These brands appeared particularly relevant for study for various reasons. Firstly, while they can all be considered contemporary brands, they all have also had some longevity; they thus allow us to explore memes posted by brands rooted both in the present and history. Secondly, they all are brands from very different sectors and markets (food, fashion, furniture, VOD/media): this heterogeneity presents an opportunity to examine the morphology of memes posted by resolutely different brands. Lastly—and above all—the six brands actively create and post memes. In effect, they have disseminated memes on a wide variety of themes and tones (arty, funny, daily life, etc.) (Blanc, 2017; Jaouën, 2020). Given this, my data collection focused on these six brands and more specifically on their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok accounts, which are today widely used for posting and sharing memes (March 2023; Simon, 2024).

1.2. First phase: inventory focused on meme production

4Screenshots (both photo and video) were taken of all posts that resembled memes on the Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok accounts of the six chosen brands. The screenshots were saved in a PowerPoint file. During this phase, I have constituted a documentary corpus of 217 screenshots over a year (between 1 November 2022 and 1 November 2023). These were analyzed using thematic content analysis (Bardin, 2013) during which I tried to identify the common points between the memes, in terms of morphology (aesthetic, style, theme), deployment (how they were transmitted by the brands), and circulation (how they moved and evolved). This thematic content analysis was undertaken in several phases. In the first phase, I divided corpus material into units. I then assembled these units into categories, using analogical groups: thus, I progressively identified, defined, and named categories, and updated the key themes.

1.3. Second phase: inventory focused on meme reception

5I then constituted a second data inventory which consisted this time of observing (and capturing through screenshots saved in the PowerPoint file) the reactions (comments, shares) of internet audiences. During this phase I added another 123 screenshots to the corpus. Then I mobilized a thematic content analysis during which I paid particular attention to the discourses of online users (comments) and their actions (sharing, posting). The aim was to understand different forms of meme reception and circulation to trace the trajectory of a meme's existence and career.

2. Morphology and circulation of brand memes

2.1. Memes: a popular form that unites

6The first thing noted was that brands base their memes on pop culture references, which more often than not, are also very current. This way of acting calls to mind the newsjacking principle (Alloing et al., 2021; Germain & Alloing, 2022), according to which one takes advantage of a current news story to capture audiences’ attention. For example, brands often capture the attention of online audiences by producing memes referring to macro-news trends that define social calendars (holidays, major events, cultural and media news stories) as Figure 1 illustrates.

Figure 1

Figure 1

Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The memes selected aim to show how memes are based on current news stories. Image composition of the posted memes by Stephanie Marty.

Meme sources:
Gucci “When he buys you flowers instead of a Gucci watch,” Instagram (deleted post).
Pulco, “Nous, face à vos tweets sur la journée de la procrastination” [Us, looking at your tweets on procrastination day], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​580751162934190081/​photo/​1.
Ikea, US [post caption]: “Are you ready for fashion's most anticipated day of the year?” [image text] “POV: you didn't get an invite to fashion's hottest event,” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​C6pEDfTOlIM/​?hl=fr.
Panzani, [post caption], “Moi, dès que je pars en vacances” [Me, whenever I go on holiday]
[image text]: “Surtout, prends que l'essentiel / Moi” [Take only the essentials / Me], Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1989027404704810/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.
Oasis, “Quand il faut acheter les fournitures scolaires” [When it's time to buy school supplies], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CEtRjYkqnK9/​?hl=fr.
Panzani [post caption] “T'as le style ou tu l'as pas(ta)” [You either have style or you have pasta] [image text]: “Les gens pendant le Black Friday. / Moi pendant le Black Friday,” [People during Black Friday / Me during Black Friday], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1953737344900483/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.
Netflix [post caption] “Make my wish come true” [image text] “All I want for Christmas is your Netflix password,” Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​photo.php?fbid=1808734742493729&id=833905236643356&set=a.924685260898686.

7Brand memes also often take up situations from everyday life. In these cases, they are composed of an image and a caption that links the image to a scene of daily life (in a humorous tone). The caption appeals to brand followers (addressing them in the first person and a familiar tone) and invites them to recognize themselves in the scene presented. The use of trivial and memefiable reality, combined with a familiar tone, is conducive to creating a “realistic effect” (Glévarec, 2010; Segev et al., 2015) and instilling a sense of closeness (Knobel & Lankshear, 2007) with audiences. Figure 2 illustrates this trend (references to waking up, leaving the house, being at work, doing sports, doing groceries, eating meals, etc.).

Figure 2

Figure 2

Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The selected memes aim to show how memes can be based on micro-mundanity. Image composition of posted memes by Stephanie Marty.

Meme sources:
Pulco, “ Nous, ce matin #LaParesseADuBon” [Us, this morning #LazinessHasItsGoodSide], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​569797547394502656/​photo/​1.
Netflix, [post caption] “Who put the air conditioning on???” [image text] “POV: Me, leaving the house this morning,” TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@netflix/​video/​7341488622786383150.
Oasis, “Quand tu as une réunion Skiwipe à 15h et un tournoi Fruifa à 15h30” [When you have Skiwipe meeting at 3pm and a Fruifa tournament at 3.30pm], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​B-HxubCKur1/​?hl=fr.
Netflix [post caption] “Gi-Hun is our constant mood. How is Monday back so soon!?” [image text] “Me when it's the weekend / Me when it's Monday again,” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​netflix_in/​p/​CUmFUe6q5fB/​.
Pulco, “Quand les collègues se rendent comptent qu'ils n'ont pas pensé à poser leur lundi 13 juillet” [When your colleagues realize they forgot to ask for Monday 13 July off], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​619482768272138240.
Netflix, “2024 is the year of running... and staying humble,” TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@netflix/​video/​7336063862568914219?lang=fr.
IKEA, [post caption] “Nous on est pas d'accord!” [We don’t agree!] [image text] “POV: quand on te dit d'arrêter de manger des roulés cannelle” [POV: When someone tells you to stop eating cinammon rolls], TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@ikeafrance/​video/​7284265763635055904?lang=fr.
Panzani, [post caption] “Ceux qui portent des lunettes, on est avec vous!” [Those who wear glasses, we feel you!] [image text] “Moi qui vérifie la cuisson des pâtes sans lunettes / avec lunettes” [Me checking the pasta without glasses / with glasses], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​2469680063306206/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.
Oasis, “Quand c'est ton tour de dépoirasser la table” [When it's your turn to prepear the table], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CHaoLOiqg8s/​?hl=fr.

8Such memes, by calling on popular references, whether global or local, allow brands to create or strengthen bonds with their followers, as well as between their followers (Gal et al., 2015; Hobson & Modi, 2019). By taking up macro or micro news trends, they reveal the uniting power of memes.

2.2. Memes: a porous, playable and viral form

  • 2 Tagging someone consists in calling out a user account by typing@ before the name of the account.

9Beyond their popular nature, one can note that memes have a particularly porous dimension (in the sense of being permeable and penetrable) as well as playable (in the sense of they can be transformed and reinterpreted), which enables some memes to circulate from person to person and go viral. Brands everage this porosity and playability to benefit their transmedia expansion and virality. It is not unusual for brands to invite their followers to appropriate the memes they post, to share them, pass them on, and ensure they circulate. It would appear that advertisers have understood the appetite of online audiences for sharing and remixing (Certeau, 1990; Jenkins, 2002) online content. Some users respond to such invitations, using the functions of sharing, re-gramming (forwarding on Instagram), or tagging2 to pass memes on to their networks. Figure 3 illustrates sharing undertaken using the tag function.

Figure 3

Figure 3

Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The selected memes aim to show how memes are passed on by internet users through the tag function. Image composition of posted memes by Stephanie Marty.

Meme sources:
IKEA: “Et vous, vous êtes team rangement un peu tous les jours ou gros rangement une fois par mois?” [And you, are you more the tidy-up-a-little-everyday type or once-a-month huge tidy-up type?], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​IKEAFrance/​photos/​et-vous-vous-%C3%AAtes-team-rangement-un-peu-tous-les-jours-ou-gros-rangement-une-foi/​809486537883419/​?_rdr.
OasisBeFruit, “Nous attendant la saison 2 d'Arsène Pépin” [Us, waiting for season 2 of Arsène Pépin], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CJ8gPbXLfAV/​?hl=fr https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CJ8gPbXLfAV/​?hl=fr.
Oasis, “Mentez pas on sait que vous révisez pas” [Don't lie, we know you're not revising], X: https://x.com/​oasisbefruit/​status/​874988119183032322/​photo/​1.
Panzani [post caption]: “C'est le cas à tous [sic] les coups” [It happens each time] [image text] “Quand je me fais des spaghetti” [When I cook spaghetti for myself / What I should cook / What I actually cook], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​2458455974428615/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.
Panzani, [post caption] “À chaque fois, c'est pareil, je comprends pas...” [Each time, this happens, I can’t understand it.…] [image text] “Avant la bolo / Après la bolo” [Before bolognaise / After bolognaise], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1989028491371368/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.

10Some users do more than just share memes: they appropriate them for themselves, reinvent them, parody them, and weave in anecdotes about their personal lives. Figure 4 gives us a taste of some such appropriations.

Figure 4

Figure 4

Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci and IKEA on their social media channels. The memes were selected to illustrate how memes are reinvented and remixed by internet users. Image composition of posted memes by Stéphanie Marty.

Meme sources:
IKEA [post caption]: “Les héros de notre dernière pub nous ont inspirés...” [The guys from our last ad inspired you...] [image text] “Quand on te dit de mettre la caméra mais que tu viens de te réveiller” [When they ask you to switch on video, but you’ve just woken up], X: https://x.com/​IKEA_France/​status/​1392383344265121792/​photo/​1.
Gucci, “When your girl doesn't notice your new watch,” Instagram (deleted post).

  • 3 It would be of interest, in our view, to explore this avenue with further investigation aimed at qu (...)

11Users thus create transformative remixes engaging in personal reinvention of the memes.3 They extend the existence of memes (and of brands), while also reminding us of how digital media has reconfigured the relationship between consumers and advertisers, allowing users to now take an active part in shaping advertising narratives (Akrout & Cathalo, 2015; Chéreau, 2012). Some advertisers encourage internet users to engage in such practices (reacting, participating, etc.) by setting up reward and gratification systems (gifts, discount codes, price reductions, etc.). The various elements that we have evoked above bring to mind the notions of “putting consumers to work” (Dujarier, 2014), of “digital labor” (Scholz, 2013), and the principle of “fanadvertising” (Ramos-Serrano et al., 2012; Lozano Delmar et al., 2013), the use of output by fans for marketing purposes (Bourdaa, 2016).

12Memes transit, circulate (and evolve) between differents persons, within differents spaces (transmediatic or even trans-screen spaces). During their existence, they can be created by Internet users, taken up by brands (Brubaker et al., 2018), and taken up anew by online communities. Traveling thus, from individual to individual, from interface to interface, memes take on a transmediatic dimension, and some even attain online virality (Paquette, 2019; Malodia et al., 2022); they engender (through circulation and contagion, notably) a phenomenon of attention accumulation and concentration (Beauvisage et al., 2011) that can be particularly beneficial for brands.

13This virality sometimes crosses beyond the arena of digital platforms to make an eruption into the real world. On TikTok, for example, some brands post memes and challenge their followers to (re-)interpret them by enacting them personally and physically through original performances and “appsperimentations” (Allard, 2017) which sometimes become popular acts: embodied gimmicks that are alive and possess corporeality.

2.3. The meme as a non-advert branding tool

14Memes can enable brands to boost their branding. By branding, I am referring to the work (most often undertaken by advertising firms) that consists of developing and cultivating a distinct identity and brand image capable of creating strong bonds with clients and partners (Aim & Billiet, 2020). Memes, in my opinion, can contribute to this by enabling advertisers to develop an image of a modern, trendy brand capable of mobilizing contemporary semiotic forms and of playing with today's codes (trendy images and videos, up-to-date sociolects, familiar language with audiences, etc.). Moreover, by producing memes that take up—with light-hearted humor—pop culture references or scenes from everyday life, advertisers can project an image of a creative, human, friendly and fun brand (Taecharungroj & Nueangjamnong, 2015; Vasquez & Aslan, 2021), rather than the image of a commercial money-seeking entity (Chan & Lowe, 2020).

  • 4 According to Olivier Aïm (2020), “Instagrammable” refers to “anticipating and incorporating the ex (...)

15Memes thus appear as de-branded branding tools, rooted both in an advertising dynamic—to the extent that they reveal “the media’s adaptation to the necessity to open up to advertising” (Patrin-Leclère et al., 2014)—as in a non-advertising dynamic (Marti De Montety, 2013)—to the extent that they differ from recognizable forms of advertising and classic advertising discourse, which are generally more direct, even aggressive, (TV ads, official publications on social media platforms, etc.) and sometimes perceived as commercial hounding. Memes can therefore boost the visibility of brands, all while taking on a form of content “free from the markers of advertising” (Patrin-Leclère et al., 2014). Through their aesthetics (often rough, or not very Instagrammable4) and their tone (often funny, or outright parody), memes can nonetheless involve an effort of “control of non-control” on the part of brands (Cardon et al., 2017).

  • 5 Several online meme generators exist today. For example: Mematic, Supermeme, Meme Generator, Meme C (...)
  • 6 Content marketing is strategy that consists in a brand creating and deploying media content with th (...)

16Memes can therefore be strategic tools (Bury, 2016): they embody de-branded branding tools, and remain—despite their potential—particularly accessibles. Memes remain composed of generally simple and cheap content: most often still or animated images, accompanied by some text, which can be composed through online generators5 or content marketing software,6 with little financial investment needed.

Conclusion and future prospects

17The analysis of memes posted (on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok) by six brands has allowed us to understand that memes represent popular content which rally people, which are porous and viral, and which can become de-branded branding tools, allowing brands to boost their visibility and image at a low cost, while avoiding being seen as hounding audiences.

18More widely, for us, this study serves as a reminder of how digital media has for several decades been interrogating the morphology of advertising strategies and the anatomy of advertising artifacts (Cvijikj & Michahelles, 2013; Azar et al., 2016). In effect, in the era of social media, brands often publish online content to contrast with classic or traditional advertising content, generally more direct and more “polished” aesthetically and conceptually (Marti de Montety, 2013). Today, brands tend to complement classic advertising content with content that is popular and porous, that can be played with, adapted, and made viral by audiences (Dobele et al., 2005; Azar et al., 2016).

19Former hierarchies that existed within the advertising ecosystem have been redefined. Some users transmit and appropriate advertising content, in an active, creative, and self-assured dynamic. These users may boost brands visibility and reputation, and through this, remind us that marketing is no longer the exclusive prerogative of brands, but can take the form of co-marketing, based on convergence (Jenkins, 2006), or creative conversations (Allard, 2011) between advertisers and online communities (Chéreau, 2012). Thus, the proliferation of content such as memes has shaken the reality of advertising strategies (Bury, 2016; Sharma, 2018), and more widely, the advertising ecosystem in its entirety (Brubaker et al., 2018). Memes thus introduce multiple interrogations and promising prospects for future research, notably on the morphology of contemporary advertising and reception by users.

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Notes

1 Oasis® is French beverage brand producing non-fizzy fruit drinks that belongs to Orange Suntory France. Pulco® is a French brand for fruit concentrate and drinks that also belongs to Orange Suntory France. Panzani® is a French pasta company held by CVC Capital Partners. Gucci® is an Italian luxury fashion house belonging to the French company Kering. IKEA® is a Swedish furniture design and home furnishings brand belonging to Stichting INGKA Foundation and Inter IKEA Holding. Netflix® is an American company in the field of film and TV distribution and exhibition through a dedicated video-on-demand platform.

2 Tagging someone consists in calling out a user account by typing@ before the name of the account.

3 It would be of interest, in our view, to explore this avenue with further investigation aimed at quantifying and qualifying such practices (proportion of active users with respect to total number of followers, profiles of the most active users, profiles and motivations of less active users, etc.).

4 According to Olivier Aïm (2020), “Instagrammable” refers to “anticipating and incorporating the expectations, gazes and assessments, in other words, the technical, social and sensorial canons, of modern-day devices.”

5 Several online meme generators exist today. For example: Mematic, Supermeme, Meme Generator, Meme Center, Make a Meme, Quick Meme.

6 Content marketing is strategy that consists in a brand creating and deploying media content with the aim of creating value and—in fine—boosting sales (Truphème, 2019). Several content marketing softwares are capable of producing memes today. For example: PiktoChart, Adobe Express, Canva (for creating visual content), Animoto, Magisto, Powpooon (for creating video content) or Buffer, Monday, Zoho Social (for digital content management and planning).

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Table des illustrations

Titre Figure 1
Légende Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The memes selected aim to show how memes are based on current news stories. Image composition of the posted memes by Stephanie Marty.
Crédits Meme sources:• Gucci “When he buys you flowers instead of a Gucci watch,” Instagram (deleted post). • Pulco, “Nous, face à vos tweets sur la journée de la procrastination” [Us, looking at your tweets on procrastination day], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​580751162934190081/​photo/​1. • Ikea, US [post caption]: “Are you ready for fashion's most anticipated day of the year?” [image text] “POV: you didn't get an invite to fashion's hottest event,” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​C6pEDfTOlIM/​?hl=fr. • Panzani, [post caption], “Moi, dès que je pars en vacances” [Me, whenever I go on holiday][image text]: “Surtout, prends que l'essentiel / Moi” [Take only the essentials / Me], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1989027404704810/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR. • Oasis, “Quand il faut acheter les fournitures scolaires” [When it's time to buy school supplies], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CEtRjYkqnK9/​?hl=fr. • Panzani [post caption] “T'as le style ou tu l'as pas(ta)” [You either have style or you have pasta] [image text]: “Les gens pendant le Black Friday. / Moi pendant le Black Friday,” [People during Black Friday / Me during Black Friday], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1953737344900483/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR. • Netflix [post caption] “Make my wish come true” [image text] “All I want for Christmas is your Netflix password,” Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​photo.php?fbid=1808734742493729&id=833905236643356&set=a.924685260898686.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/hybrid/docannexe/image/5359/img-1.png
Fichier image/png, 1,6M
Titre Figure 2
Légende Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The selected memes aim to show how memes can be based on micro-mundanity. Image composition of posted memes by Stephanie Marty.
Crédits Meme sources:• Pulco, “ Nous, ce matin #LaParesseADuBon” [Us, this morning #LazinessHasItsGoodSide], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​569797547394502656/​photo/​1.• Netflix, [post caption] “Who put the air conditioning on???” [image text] “POV: Me, leaving the house this morning,” TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@netflix/​video/​7341488622786383150.• Oasis, “Quand tu as une réunion Skiwipe à 15h et un tournoi Fruifa à 15h30” [When you have Skiwipe meeting at 3pm and a Fruifa tournament at 3.30pm], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​B-HxubCKur1/​?hl=fr.• Netflix [post caption] “Gi-Hun is our constant mood. How is Monday back so soon!?” [image text] “Me when it's the weekend / Me when it's Monday again,” Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​netflix_in/​p/​CUmFUe6q5fB/​. • Pulco, “Quand les collègues se rendent comptent qu'ils n'ont pas pensé à poser leur lundi 13 juillet” [When your colleagues realize they forgot to ask for Monday 13 July off], X: https://x.com/​Pulco/​status/​619482768272138240. • Netflix, “2024 is the year of running... and staying humble,” TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@netflix/​video/​7336063862568914219?lang=fr. • IKEA, [post caption] “Nous on est pas d'accord!” [We don’t agree!] [image text] “POV: quand on te dit d'arrêter de manger des roulés cannelle” [POV: When someone tells you to stop eating cinammon rolls], TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/​@ikeafrance/​video/​7284265763635055904?lang=fr. • Panzani, [post caption] “Ceux qui portent des lunettes, on est avec vous!” [Those who wear glasses, we feel you!] [image text] “Moi qui vérifie la cuisson des pâtes sans lunettes / avec lunettes” [Me checking the pasta without glasses / with glasses], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​2469680063306206/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR. • Oasis, “Quand c'est ton tour de dépoirasser la table” [When it's your turn to prepear the table], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CHaoLOiqg8s/​?hl=fr.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/hybrid/docannexe/image/5359/img-2.png
Fichier image/png, 2,4M
Titre Figure 3
Légende Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci, IKEA, Netflix, Oasis, Panzani, and Pulco on their respective social media channels. The selected memes aim to show how memes are passed on by internet users through the tag function. Image composition of posted memes by Stephanie Marty.
Crédits Meme sources:• IKEA: “Et vous, vous êtes team rangement un peu tous les jours ou gros rangement une fois par mois?” [And you, are you more the tidy-up-a-little-everyday type or once-a-month huge tidy-up type?], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​IKEAFrance/​photos/​et-vous-vous-%C3%AAtes-team-rangement-un-peu-tous-les-jours-ou-gros-rangement-une-foi/​809486537883419/​?_rdr. • OasisBeFruit, “Nous attendant la saison 2 d'Arsène Pépin” [Us, waiting for season 2 of Arsène Pépin], Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CJ8gPbXLfAV/​?hl=fr https://www.instagram.com/​p/​CJ8gPbXLfAV/​?hl=fr.• Oasis, “Mentez pas on sait que vous révisez pas” [Don't lie, we know you're not revising], X: https://x.com/​oasisbefruit/​status/​874988119183032322/​photo/​1. • Panzani [post caption]: “C'est le cas à tous [sic] les coups” [It happens each time] [image text] “Quand je me fais des spaghetti” [When I cook spaghetti for myself / What I should cook / What I actually cook], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​2458455974428615/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR. • Panzani, [post caption] “À chaque fois, c'est pareil, je comprends pas...” [Each time, this happens, I can’t understand it.…] [image text] “Avant la bolo / Après la bolo” [Before bolognaise / After bolognaise], Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/​PanzaniFrance/​photos/​pb.100070033437070.-2207520000/​1989028491371368/​?type=3&locale=fr_FR.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/hybrid/docannexe/image/5359/img-3.png
Fichier image/png, 1,9M
Titre Figure 4
Légende Selection of memes created and posted by the trademarked brands Gucci and IKEA on their social media channels. The memes were selected to illustrate how memes are reinvented and remixed by internet users. Image composition of posted memes by Stéphanie Marty.
Crédits Meme sources:• IKEA [post caption]: “Les héros de notre dernière pub nous ont inspirés...” [The guys from our last ad inspired you...] [image text] “Quand on te dit de mettre la caméra mais que tu viens de te réveiller” [When they ask you to switch on video, but you’ve just woken up], X: https://x.com/​IKEA_France/​status/​1392383344265121792/​photo/​1. • Gucci, “When your girl doesn't notice your new watch,” Instagram (deleted post).
URL http://journals.openedition.org/hybrid/docannexe/image/5359/img-4.png
Fichier image/png, 1,0M
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Référence électronique

Stéphanie Marty, « Memes: A marketing tool for brands? »Hybrid [En ligne], 13 | 2025, mis en ligne le 29 avril 2025, consulté le 24 mai 2025. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/hybrid/5359 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/13uth

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Auteur

Stéphanie Marty

Stéphanie Marty is an information and communications sciences lecturer at Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier, France. Her work focuses on digital practices developing around brands and cultural industries. In these different sectors, she explores promotional practices (deployed by professionals in both sectors), forms of redesign, and subversions (initiated by online audiences).

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Le texte seul est utilisable sous licence CC BY-SA 4.0. Les autres éléments (illustrations, fichiers annexes importés) sont « Tous droits réservés », sauf mention contraire.

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