Project Report
(Submitted for the Degree of [Link]. Honours in Marketing
Under the University of Calcutta)
Title of the Project
Meme Marketing and Its Influence on Consumer Buying Behaviour
Submitted by
Name of Candidate: Mukta Surana
Registration No. 034-1211-0358-19
Name of College- Shri Shikshayatan College
College Roll No. 14
Supervised by
Name of the Supervisor: Smt. Prakriti Rudra
Name of the College: Shri Shikshayatan College
Month and Year of Submission
May 27th 2022
Annexure- IA
Supervisor's Certificate
This is to certify that Ms. Mukta Surana a student of [Link]. Honours in Marketing of
Shri Shikshaytan College under the University of Calcutta has worked under my supervision and guidance
for his/her Project Work and prepared a Project Report with the title
Meme Marketing And It’s Influence On Consumer Buying Behavior
which she is submitting, is her genuine and original work to the best of my knowledge.
Signature
Place: Name:
Date: Designation:
Name of the College
Annexure- IB
Student's Declaration
I hereby declare that the Project Work with the title MEME MARKETING AND IT’S INFLUENCE ON
CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR
submitted by me for the partial fulfilment of the degree of [Link]. Honours in Marketing under the
University of Calcutta is my original work and has not been submitted earlier to any other University
/Institution for the fulfilment of the requirement for any course of study.
[Link] Table [Link].
1. Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Need of the Study
1.3 Literature Review
1.4 Objectives
1.5 Research Methodology
1.6 Limitations
1.7 Chapter Planning
2. Chapter 2: Conceptual Framework
2.1 National Scenario
2.2. International Scenario
3. Chapter 3 : Data Findings and Analysis
3.1 Data Analysis: Primary Data
3.2 Data Analysis: Secondary Data
3.3 Findings
4. Chapter 4 : Conclusions and Recommendations
4.1. Conclusions
4.2. Recommendations
I also declare that no chapter of this manuscript in whole or in part has been incorporated in this report from
any earlier work done by others or by me. However, extracts of any literature which has been used for this
report has been duly acknowledged providing details of such literature in the references.
Signature – Mukta Surana
Name: Mukta Surana
Address: 109/25 Hazra Road, Neelkanth
Building
Kolkata – 700026
Registration No.
Place: Kolkata
Date:
Table of Content
1.1. Background
A meme is an idea, habit, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture through imitation and
frequently bears symbolic meaning representing a certain phenomenon or theme. A meme is a cultural idea,
symbol, or a habit that can be passed from one mind to another via writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other
imitable occurrences having a repeated theme. Memes are cultural counterparts to genes, according to
proponents, since they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures. In his book The Selfish
Gene, published in 1976, Richard Dawkins created the term "meme" to describe how ideas form and spread
across cultures. When the Internet brought people from all over the world together, the interchange of
cultural items became considerably faster and more efficient.
The usage of memes to promote your brand narrative is known as meme marketing. Memes are widely
shareable, so it's a fun, low-effort approach to interact with your audience and increase engagement.
Dawkins' own position is a little ambiguous. He agreed with N. K. Humphrey that "memes should be
understood as living structures, not only conceptually," and claimed that memes "physically reside in the
brain." Despite the fact that Dawkins claimed his original aims were simpler, he agreed with Humphrey's
assessment and welcomed Susan Blackmore's 1999 initiative to develop a scientific theory of memes with
predictions and empirical evidence.
The derivation of the term "Meme" can be characterised as an idea, habit, style, or usage that spreads from
person to person within a society, according to Merriam-Webster.
Memes were the most popular form of internet communication around the end of the twentieth century. In
tweets or Instagram posts, humor and relatability make more sense than hundreds of words. Memes can also
be found in the form of GIFs and vines that are both funny and relatable. These are the most easily shared
memes. The popularity of memes is one of the reasons that numerous GIF hosting websites and search
engines, such as Imgur and Giphy, see a lot of traffic. What began as lighthearted banter has grown into a
full-fledged marketing strategy. To promote a certain event, web show, or new product, brands generate
unique meme templates. As a result, "meme marketing," a new type of digital marketing, has evolved.
Memes have such a strong influence on people that they can boost sales and expand a brand's reach almost
quickly. Memes are a social media manager's best friend. It aids in the increase of page activity, the
development of a fun-loving audience network, and the strengthening of their brand.
Additional commercial prospects directed at young people with significant spending power are being
pursued by brands. The Pandemic has increased the potency of this marketing strategy. As consumers spend
more time indoors with their phones as their lone companion, memes have become the activity that connects
marketers to their target customer.
As the internet landscape has transformed in recent years, with social media leading the way, viral marketing
has taken on new shapes as businesses try to capitalize on an ever-growing customer base. "Meme
marketing," a phenomenon in which companies use internet memes to advertise products and/or brands by
using, repurposing, or creating memes, as well as engaging in activities that could be considered "meme-
able," is one such form of viral marketing that represents the latest in the evolution of the online landscape.
1.2. Need of the Study
1.3. Objectives
To study which companies are embracing Meme Marketing.
To examine consumer awareness & relatability .
To study the impact of meme marketing on consumer perception & purchase intention.
1.4. Research Methodology
The research design indicates the steps that have been taken and in what sequence they
occurred. The methodology that will be applied by the study has been chosen in order
to acquire information and deduce conclusions about ‘Meme Marketing and Its Influence on Consumer
Behaviour.’
The study is quantitative, meaning that the results can be assessed using bar graphs, pie charts
and other visual aids, and conclusions and analysis can be drawn.
The research was done using both primary and secondary data. Primary data included surveys conducted
through a questionnaire (google form) which was circulated among family and friends. Secondary data
included information from news articles, reviews, search engines and scholar research papers.
Sample size of the population is 76.
1.5. Limitations
i. They outdate very fast - The most crucial part of a meme is to ensure the meme's relevance and
aptness with perfect keywords and phrases. Also, it is essential to know that the topics change
rapidly, and thus, memes go stale very soon. For example, if a meme is created on an outdated show
which was trending a few months back will not result in laughs. Rather it will backfire on the page
sharing those memes on a social media platform, and people will unfollow the page.
ii. The danger of getting it wrong- Not all industries can utilize memes as a marketing strategy. For
example, suppose you are in a health industry meme might not be perceived positively. Though
there are ways to make it funny and appealing, one small mistake can backfire on the corporation for
hurting peoples’ sentiments.
iii. Attention span - There is a substantial reduction in a consumer's attention span leading to the
development of Tik Tok and Instagram reels. Consumers browse through the memes fast and might
not take the subtle hint of the product placement there. Memes generally cash upon the breadth of
the topic and not the depth. To engage a consumer, a company must have the depth the product
placement in the meme.
iv. Generation Specific - Memes rarely appeal to Gen X. Gen X still believes in traditional marketing
and purchase.
