EVER since social media apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok gained popularity, promoting business has taken a different turn from the traditional print, television and radio advertisements. But with all the competition, gaining wide audience attention became a tough challenge—not if the marketers are Filipino and Gen Z.
Filipinos are well-known for being creative and “maparaan” (resourceful). And with Gen Z—those born between 1997 and 2012 according to financial media website Investopedia—entering the corporate world, they would probably believe in the saying “if there’s a meme, there’s an ad.”
Memes are images, videos or a combination of both, together with text, that may be humorous depending on the context and cultural background of the audience.
Recently, videos of misfortunate accidents sparked the idea of some to combine entertainment and business promotion—giving birth to the trend of video meme-transition as a form of marketing strategy.
Picture this: a video of a person walking in the rain holding an umbrella, who suddenly slips on the muddy ground, and then the video transitions to another person mimicking the last position of the previous video and starts promoting products of a well-known Filipino bakeshop.
Another example is a video clip of two paramedics, carrying an injured person on a stretcher who tips over and falls to the ground, then the video switches to a person rolling on the ground then promotes a beauty product.
Meanwhile, there’s footage of a camel sticking its tongue out to the camera, then a person doing the same appears and starts encouraging people to enroll in their institution.
These videos have surely found their way to your social media feeds.
So, what’s the formula? Good news is, you can do it even on your own. Just find a funny meme video that’s totally unrelated to your business or the product you’re promoting, then grab your phone and film yourself picking up from the last position of the meme.
Next is the exciting part: editing and putting it together. Match the time of the video ending and insert your product or business promotion clip. No high-end equipment needed.
The key to making it funny is having an almost seamless transition by matching the camera angle and inserting your promotion clip that’s shot in a single take. Bonus points if you seem all unfazed after doing the stunt.
Various businesses like a popular bakeshop, travel agencies, mobile phone brands, fragrances, and even car brands have joined this kind of hype.
What about audience engagement? Results may vary but the shares, comments and reactions speak for the effectiveness of the ad itself.
Filipinos like to have a good laugh and adore memes, so it might be worth trying out a new strategy of promoting your business and showcasing your creativity. At the same time, be mindful about your brand identity, too!
With reports from Marvin Cabalhin
