The Rise of Memes in Marketing: From Internet Jokes to Brand Strategy
July 18, 2025
There was a time when memes lived solely in the wild west of the internet—shared in group chats, Reddit threads and comment sections. They were bite-sized bits of humor, usually homemade, often niche and always fast-moving. But somewhere between Doge and Distracted Boyfriend, a shift happened. Memes became marketing tools. Today, memes are a serious part of brand strategy. From Wendy’s snarky Twitter presence to Duolingo’s chaotic TikTok owl, brands are increasingly leaning into meme culture not just to entertain, but to connect, convert and cultivate loyalty. So how did
