How Internet Culture Shaped Advertising

In the digital attention economy, where competition is fierce and focus time is measured in seconds, memes have become the most valuable currency. These cultural units, born from the collective irony of the internet, are the native language of a generation. The savviest brands have not only learned to speak it but have achieved the seemingly impossible: transforming an ephemeral viral joke into a solid and memorable advertising campaign. This phenomenon represents the culmination of participatory advertising, where the barrier between what the brand creates and what the public creates completely vanishes.

This article explores how viral ads that started as memes redefine engagement, analyzing the strategy behind their success, the risks they entail, and why this approach is the holy grail of modern marketing.

The Anatomy of Success: Why Do Memes Work as Advertising?The effectiveness of a meme as an advertising foundation is no accident. It responds to a cultural logic perfectly adapted to the current digital landscape:

Instant Relatability and Shared Language: A meme works because it encapsulates a universal experience, frustration, or joy in an immediately recognizable format. When a brand uses that language, it jumps the barrier of the "corporation" and speaks as "one of us." It's a quick way to build complicity.

Built-In Virality Engine: Memes are designed to be shared. Their format (image with text, short video, GIF) is ideal for quick consumption and forwarding on social networks. A campaign based on one inherits this organic propensity to spread, amplifying its reach at a marginal cost.

Perceived Authenticity (when done right): In a world tired of polished and artificial advertising, a well-executed meme seems casual, spontaneous, and genuine. It conveys that the brand has a real pulse on contemporary culture and isn't afraid to laugh at itself or address topics with humor.

Brutal Efficiency: Compared to the exorbitant costs of a television production for the Super Bowl, a meme may only require a clever idea, a good community manager, and simple design. This cost-impact ratio is unmatched, democratizing viral potential for brands of all sizes.

Case Studies: From Internet Culture to Mass Culture1. Wendy's – The Art of the Twitter RoastStrategy: From reactive to proactive, from community management to brand narrative.

The Origin: It all started with witty and biting replies from Wendy's official account to other users and competitors. These clapbacks went viral on their own, transforming the account into a comedic character: the sarcastic and confident girl from the burger chain.

The Transition to Campaign: Wendy's didn't stop at replies; it institutionalized the humor. It launched campaigns like "Keeping Fortnite Fresh," where it literally "roasted" players inside the Fortnite video game, and created YouTube content that amplified this personality. It turned a social media tactic into the central pillar of its modern public identity.

The Impact: It demonstrated that the tone of voice on social media could be the main advertising message. Wendy's went from selling burgers to selling an attitude, attracting a young audience that values wit and edgy humor over traditional slogans.

YouTube Link: 

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2. Coinbase – The QR Code That Shook the Super BowlStrategy: Radical minimalism and nostalgia meme.

The Origin: Coinbase's 2022 Super Bowl ad was, literally, a QR code bouncing around the screen to catchy music, mimicking the iconic DVD logo screensaver of the 2000s. This format was itself a recognizable visual meme, a nod to a shared generational experience.

The Transition to Campaign: The ad was not an isolated spot; it was the culmination of an intrigue strategy. It generated prior anticipation, and after its airing, the absurd simplicity of the concept immediately became memeable. People shared the screen, commented on the nostalgia, and discussed the boldness. Coinbase capitalized on this organic conversation, which was the real campaign.

The Impact: It proved that in a context of maximum advertising saturation (the Super Bowl), absolute contrast (visual silence, simple concept) could generate maximum noise. It was a high-stakes bet that treated the audience as cultural accomplices capable of understanding an inside joke on a mass scale.

YouTube Link: 

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3. Pepsi – "Okurrr" with Cardi B

Strategy: Adoption of an auditory meme and fusion with a cultural personality.

• The Origin: The sound "Okurrr," popularized by Cardi B, transcended speech to become an omnipresent sound meme on TikTok and beyond. It was an expression of attitude, confidence, and sass.

• The Transition to Campaign: Pepsi didn't create a meme; it adopted an existing one and integrated it into a brand ecosystem. It hired Cardi B, the original source, to star in the ad, legitimizing its use. The campaign didn't just use the sound but built a visual and musical narrative around the attitude it represented.

• The Impact: It showed how a brand can "rent" existing cultural capital quickly and effectively. By partnering directly with the meme's creator, Pepsi mitigated the risk of seeming out of touch and achieved a campaign that felt contemporary and authentic to its target audience.

• YouTube Link: 

  

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4. Doritos – The Viral Echo of the Ultrasound

Strategy: Create inherently memeable content.

• The Origin: The classic Super Bowl ad where an expectant father, during an ultrasound, seems more interested in the doctor's Doritos than in his own child. The visual absurdity and comedic tension made it instantly memeable. Users began to re-edit the scene, change the context, and share it.

• The Transition to Campaign: Doritos, instead of trying to control the remix, celebrated the creative reappropriation of its ad. The campaign continued online through user-generated content and organic buzz. They understood that the ad had stopped being theirs to become part of internet culture, and that was the greatest possible victory.

• The Impact: It was an early example of how to design an ad with remix in mind. It demonstrated that success was no longer measured only by reach during the broadcast, but by the afterlife of the content in the hands of users.

• YouTube Link: 

  

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The Dangers of the Path: When the Meme Backfires

This strategy is a minefield. The risks are extremely high:

• Lack of Authenticity and "Cringe": Nothing is worse than a brand trying to force a meme without understanding its context. The result is perceived as pathetic and desperate, severely damaging reputation.

• Ephemeral Life Cycle: Memes are born, peak, and die at internet speed. A campaign that takes months to produce may arrive when the joke is already dead and buried.

• Cultural and Political Sensitivity: Many memes have layers of dark or political meaning. A brand that uses them superficially can get caught in an unanticipated controversy.

• Brand Dilution: Overusing this tactic can make a brand lose its core identity, becoming a mere aggregator of trends without substance.

Conclusion: Cultural Tuning as the Ultimate Competitive Advantage

Ads born from memes represent the purest form of cultural absorption marketing. It's no longer about the brand speaking to the consumer, but speaking from within the conversation the consumer is already immersed in.

In 2026, the ability to navigate, contribute to, and sometimes lead meme culture will be a core competency in any marketing department. The winning brands will not necessarily be those with the biggest budget, but those with the agility, ear, and sense of humor to turn a flash of collective internet brilliance into a lasting and authentic connection with their audience. In the era of infinite scroll, the well-understood meme is the ultimate guarantor of attention.

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