Memes- An unusual medium for tracking popular human sentiment
Memes are an un-common visual medium to uncover the underlying social themes in society. They can be rich sources of qualitative research in analyzing sentiments. One of the most iconic manifestations of Memes in India is the Amul billboard ads, the craft, the method and the delivery of it is very similar to the memes we see on the internet today. They have been our official Memes for time immemorial and capture national sentiment beautifully. The Social indicators, that researchers often struggle to decipher via traditional research methods, can be better understood via Memes. Decoding the sentiment behind the theme, is a valid non -interrogative method of tracking current trends in fields like education, sports.
Most memes combine humour and sarcasm and strike an emotional chord bringing to life an insight. It’s a visual representation of popular sentiment captured with a contemporary dialogue/theme.. The word meme was coined by Richard Dawkins in his book, 'The Selfish Gene' and the actual definition of a meme is 'A unit of cultural transmission' . Although the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins introduced the idea of a meme as the intellectual equivalent of biological evolution in 1976, we had to wait for GIFs, social media and to become the cultural phenomenon they are today.the advent of technology and easier ways of communication have made memes a manifestation of what were earlier witty one liners. What’s intriguing is that they have become an effective way for researchers to understand consumer networks, viral marketing .Meme types that are popular are: macros – doctored GIFs with a witty line; photo memes – where the subject appears on different backgrounds, in different contexts, or carrying out an activity like planking. Memes capturing popular sentiment has its basis in the connection of biology and human behaviour. Trends multiply, become viral and spread among the population. The term this trend, meme has gone ‘Viral’. Its a shared thought, feeling, emotion on a particular topic that resonates with the critical mass.
Memes are measured on the basis of their Fidelity ( how much of the original idea it contains or has been changed), Fecundity ( how much of the idea has been shared within Early adopters or Lead users within the meme generator’s network, Longevity- ( how long the meme takes to be shared,viral) While theoretically speaking it seems that memes have a good case for being a rich source of information ,but how can we use it for identifying trends ?
For starters, decoding what makes it worth sharing is a good point to begin the investigation from. If anything it gives people an easier currency, a story they can reject or accept. For example, the meme on Ranveer Singh, in a time when everyone is confused about what is considered appropriate in terms of gender and fashion choice, makes it simpler for people who wish to communicate their opinions easier. The sharing of it, stands for resonance. The longevity of that meme would help any purpose driven brand or any brand trying to take a position on social issues, understand popular sentiment. The Hrithik Roshan one is an excellent example of the current debate over work-life balance. The fidelity of this meme would be a great indicator for start -ups trying to define their work culture and set benchmarks for work loads. The brilliance of the Amul memes is the connect they make with the Amul brand effortlessly built into the visual communication.
Memes follow the Innovation diffusion curve stages. They are made popular by Early adopters, some become main stream ( the Early Majority) and then slowly dip in favour. This is what makes them part of the trends identifer. One meme gives way to another one which is more representative of current trends. .
There is this particular Meme about Willy Wonka and graduation which is very relevant in India, about how after completing undergraduate studies in any field we are not prepared for the rigor and the expectations of a corporate job. The human insight it subtlety tries to uncover is nothing can come close to learning on the job and one must have the right attitude as we start our corporate careers to learn. Captures the existing debate on the relevance of the Indian education system fairly well, the longevity of this meme would be the intriguing part.
The use of memes in brand communication is a developing field, which requires being in constant touch with social issues. The persuasiveness of the meme to drive conversion for your brand can be debated and as a medium is in its early days in India. Globally there are use cases where its driven sales conversion. Zomato uses Memes as contextual advertising and is successful in creating brand recall with that effort.. Whether it leads to more people ordering food would be tough to measure. It creates an audience, builds resonance for your brand and aids in brand relevance among Consumers. Currently in the form and shape that we see it in India, it is more of an engagement tool more effective in the Bond stages of the Consumer Journey rather than the Discovery and the Purchase stages. The brilliance of the Amul memes is the connect they make with the Amul brand effortlessly built into the visual communication.
Tracking, following and decoding memes as a qualitative research input and understanding the why behind them would be a useful tool for brand planners and brand strategy professionals. For more mature categories and legacy brands, using it as an engagement tool would work better.