Effectiveness of Meme Marketing in Influencing Gen Z Purchase Intentions

D. Tharun Krishna, Dr. G. Amutha

Meme Marketing; Generation Z; Consumer Behaviour; Purchase Intention; Social Media Marketing; Brand Awareness

This study examines the effectiveness of meme marketing as a digital promotional strategy and its influence on the purchase intentions of Generation Z consumers in the Indian context.
Design / methodology / approach: A descriptive research design was adopted, combining primary data collected from 120 Gen Z respondents through a structured online questionnaire with secondary data drawn from peer-reviewed journals and digital marketing reports.
Data were analysed using percentage analysis, mean analysis, the chi-square test, and Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
Findings: The results indicate that meme-based advertisements exert a statistically significant influence on Gen Z purchase decisions (X^2=14.82, p lessthan 0.05) with a strong positive correlation (r = 0.94) between social media usage and engagement with meme content. Humour, relatability, entertainment value, and cultural relevance emerged as the dominant drivers of brand recall and purchase intention. Originality/value: The study contributes to the limited empirical literature on meme marketing in emerging markets by providing primary evidence from Indian Gen Z consumers and offering practical guidance for marketers seeking to design humour-led, culturally resonant digital campaigns.

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