What's Better - Static Memes For Marketing Or Video Memes For Marketing?

Memes may be funny, but meme-making is no joke! Memes have become almost a cultural language unique to the millennial crowd. Considering how trendy and in vogue they are, most brands are trying to get in on the meme-making scene.

With meme marketing becoming the recent tool in brand promotions, meme ideas focus more on delivering the brand image than anything else.

Today, meme marketing is not just about how funny a meme is, but also about its effectiveness. Although brands have been working with static and video memes, there is much debate about which is more effective.

Before meme marketing regarding static memes and video memes can be compared further, it is important to know these two in greater detail.

What Are Static Memes?

Static memes are essentially designed templates or pictures with funny captions. A static meme highlights the mood of the image with funny captions, quotes, and other witty one-liners. The key to making static memes is to keep it within the touching distance of reference. Therefore, the more relatable a static meme is, the better it serves its purpose. There are plenty of online and free image editors and other such templates where static memes can be easily created, such as Imgflip, Camtasia, etc.

For instance, the much-circulated Drake memes or cat memes are some of the common examples.

Brands prefer static memes because they see it as a low cost and effective way to cover any promotional idea.

What Are Video Memes?

Video memes are almost similar to static memes in design and process but vary in terms of the content. While Static memes are centered around images, the central content of Video Memes is video clips, bytes, or any other form of video-based content. Here too, the key factor is relatability and relevance.

Video-based memes might look complex, but they are easily made with proper platforms as well as video editors. Video content from Hubspot video and Vidyard can help make excellent video memes. Using template settings and funny captions or titles, anybody can easily master video memes. The obvious attraction of video-centric memes is that they are much more engaging for the common audience and relay the message more convincingly.

Some Features To Consider

It is difficult to compare these two memes for marketing purposes. Therefore, there are certain essential criteria where each meme has its advantages. To compare them better, it is essential to look at them based on all such aspects.

1. Budget That You Need For Both

Although both static memes and video memes are extremely cost-effective, there are even lesser costs incurred in making image/static memes. Essentially, both these memes are based on existing templates these days, but image memes take little or no investment.

In contrast, a good video meme might require investment in video set-ups like a professional camera and video editing software.

2. Time Static Memes & Video Memes Take

Image-based static memes are a lot less time consuming than video memes, which need significant time in the editing process. The static memes, on the other hand, are relatively easier to make in limited time.

3. What Are Their Engagement Levels?

While both types of memes require significant help from the caption, inherently, it is video memes that are supposed to be more engaging. This is so because the contemporary audience is more prone and responsive to video-based content.

Besides, in static memes, it is highly likely that the apparent joke may miss the viewer's eye, and the subtlety of the humor may be lost on them. With video, content can be explained a little bit better, and therefore the overall efficacy of the set-up increases manifold in terms of the reception of the audience.

4. Purpose Both The Kinds Of Memes Solve

The purpose of marketing is realized in both ways but is slightly better realized in video memes. Image memes may sometimes be on point and can sometimes be so subtle that the point or the purpose of using the meme as a marketing tool may be entirely lost.

5. Their Impact On Marketing

These days, the attention span of the common audience is getting shorter by the day. Because of this reason, the impact of a video meme is outweighed by the static memes. Recent trends indicate that static memes and images have a higher chance of becoming viral than ordinary video-based memes.

Which Is Better – Static Or Video?

It is difficult to generalize and compare both types of memes. The essential factors that play a pivotal role in deciding which form will be more suited are –

- What do you want to promote?

- How do you want to promote?

If there are services worth promoting or intangible assets such as the brand name etc., then video-based memes are the best.

In the case of durable consumer products and other ancillary aspects related to tangible factors, then image-centric static memes work like a charm.

Despite these classifications, it is important to remember that marketing itself is a very fluid motion. As such, there are no set paradigms and hardline rules classifying which modus to be adopted when. It all comes down to how creative and innovative you can be and how you can connect with the target audience.

In many cases, brand promotions through singular images have proved to be viral, and in other cases, the same instance has occurred with videos. As long as the process's creativity is combined with dollops of humor, a meme will be effective. To make it viral, you have to ensure many other factors, such as relatability factors of the meme and other relevant areas.

Key Takeaways

Meme marketing must be an intensive and highly objective-driven brand exercise. Brands and companies have to bear in mind that no matter what mode they choose or select, it must instantly establish a connection with the target audience group.

Unless a meme is unable to evoke a response from the intended audience, its purpose has been defeated. This would compel brands to take note of the same and rethink their strategies.