Published Online:June 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Brand Management
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJBRM020626
DOI:10.71329/IUPJBRM/2026.23.2.31-50
Author Name:Somanuj Dey and Nilanjana Chakrabarty
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Marketing
Download Format:PDF
Pages:31-50
Meme marketing is widely used by brands to engage India’s digital youth, but it can inadvertently cause offense. This paper investigates how university students in Barak Valley, Assam, perceive cultural sensitivity in brand-led meme campaigns, using a mixed-methods approach that combined an online survey with thematic analysis of focus group discussions. The survey assessed student reactions to meme themes (religion, stereotypes, regional and humor), and focus groups explored the reasons behind any perceived offensiveness. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, t-tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression to examine group differences and the relationship between cultural insensitivity, brand trust and purchase intention. The results showed that local cultural humor is popular, but content involving religion, body/gender stereotypes or negative group portrayals provokes strong disapproval. Female and older students were particularly sensitive to gender- and stereotype-based memes. These findings align with the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) (people use quick peripheral cues on social media) and social identity theory (SLT) (group identity affects perception). The paper also examines how these consumer perceptions systematically influence strategic brand equity parameters, specifically brand trust and purchase intention. They also reflect benign violation theory (BVT): humor fails when a violation seems truly hurtful rather than harmless. The paper concludes with practical guidelines for marketers: avoid derogatory stereotypes, ensure authenticity, and actively consider local values.
In the digital age, memes have become a powerful tool for brands to attract young audience. Memes are short, often humorous images or videos that spread rapidly on social media. For India’s tech-savvy youth, memes offer a fresh, ‘noncorporate’ way to engage with brands.