The Strategic Use of Memetic Marketing as a Communication Tool to Align Brand Image and Identity: A Case Study of Ryanair

Abstract

This thesis examines how internet memes can be used as part of a strategic communication strategy and contribute to the alignment of the intended brand identity and the perceived image. The study is built on the hypothesis that not all internet memes can be regarded as equal and suggests categorizing internet memes based on their stance in order to be able to strategically employ these in a successful communication strategy. The study is built on a single-case study, in which the Irish low-cost carrier, Ryanair, is examined. Firstly, Ryanair’s intended brand image is established though an analysis of the company’s corporate website and with the use of Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism. Through this analysis, it is possible to determine that Ryanair’s intended brand identity, as communicated on its website, seeks to communicate an identity that builds on friendliness, professionalism, reliability, and customer care. Thereafter, memes posted on Ryanair’s social media profiles on Instagram and TikTok are gathered and categorized based on their stance. Through this analysis, six different meme categories were identified: 1) harmless jokes, 2) joke about customer behavior/complaints, 3) mild joke about customer behavior, 4) relatable or harmless joke, 5) joke about celebrity or public figure, and 6) self-praise/cocky memes. Memes from the identified categories are presented through qualitative interviews to Danish consumers and the effect of each meme category on Ryanair’s brand image is measured. This shows that some of the identified categories are better at communicating some of Ryanair’s desired traits, than other categories. Furthermore, it shows that some categories don’t communicate any of the desired traits, and that some categories communicate the opposite of Ryanair’s desired traits. Thus, this paper can conclude that the employment of memes as a strategic part of successful communication strategy that contributes to the alignment of brand identity and brand image, is made easier by the categorization of memes. Furthermore, this thesis suggests that a continuous monitorization of how consumers react to the memes, is necessary to ensure a strong brand image.