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Using Memes and Macros In Your Viral Marketing Strategy

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In the past few years, I’ve seen Internet marketers divide themselves into two distinct camps:  those who embrace memes and consider them a powerful marketing tool, and those who dismiss them as an off-brand waste of time. The battle lines have been drawn in blogs, forums, and by the water cooler, and there are compelling arguments for both cases. But here’s the thing: The term “meme” has been in use for almost 40 years, encompasses a vast variety of cultural phenomenon, and is an absolute cornerstone of modern marketing. If you’ve ever seen an Energizer Bunny commercial, been privy to a “Kodak Moment”, or watched as Gatorade was poured over a coach’s head and felt just the slightest twinge of professional jealousy, then you’ve already bought into the power of memes in marketing. What Is A Meme? This is a question that’s been asked many, many, many times, but I’ve yet to see a source that succinctly encapsulates the richness of the medium. In its simplest form, a meme could be thought of as the manifestation of a social phenomenon — one that spreads and evolves as it progresses throughout its lifespan. In its purest form, the term “meme” is broad enough to be applied to nearly anything (think Greek architectural styles still used today).  But for the sake of this article, let’s boil it down to five relevant categories: Type Definition Examples Video A video trend/fad that takes the Internet by storm. YouTube Marriage Proposals, Let’s Play, Cat Videos, Fast Food Freestyle Physical  A meme that focuses around a physical activity, whether alone or in groups. The Harlem Shake, Planking, The Cinnamon Challenge Digital  Memes that originate and primarily exist in the digital world. Hashtags, Rick Rolling, Emoticons, Slacktivism  Catchphrase An “inside joke” reference that originated on the Internet. Trolling, 1337, OVER 9000!, Epic Fail Macros What most people think of when they hear the word “meme” — includes popular online images with captions.  Good Guy Greg, Philosoraptor, Ancient Aliens, True Story As you work on your own viral marketing strategy, I’m sure you’ll be able to think of other categories as well, but these categories make an excellent foundation to start with — and can easily be combined to for additional strategic variety. Why Is Meme Marketing Powerful? As a someone who’s taken a leadership role in online communities since the days of the BBS, I learned one thing quickly: you can try to do it all
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