Advertising to fellow kids - A study of the Vietnamese millennial consumers' perception and behaviors towards advertisement using internet memes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to gain insights into the Vietnamese millennial’s perception of Internet memes and their attitude towards Internet memes being used as an advertising tool to explore the extent to which it can be significant for marketing. A qualitative approach and in-depth semi-structured interviews were used to explore the research issues. 10 interviews with Ho Chi Minh citizens between the age of 20 and 40 were conducted. The outcome of the research shows that millennials view Internet memes as a group culture between users and an empowering communication tool. Internet memes bear heavy multi-layers of social commentary within itself and people doubted advertisement using it, but they generally welcomed it and they enjoy the humor regardless. When marketers plan to integrate Internet memes into their advertising campaign, timing, creativity and authenticity are important measures. The benefits that memes bring are that it generates awareness and people find them more visual and informative. People also enjoy taking parts in a discourse of brand memes and team up with their favorite brands, eventually identify themselves with it. The study findings can benefit marketers in general for a better understanding on what their young audiences are doing online and ways to appropriate the brand to Internet memes with their cultures.