The study, published in the Asian Journal of Applied Business and Management in 2026, focuses on a growing challenge for businesses: how to communicate with young consumers in an online environment dominated by fast-moving trends, short-form content, and informal digital conversations.
For Gen Z, social media is not simply a place to receive advertisements. It is also a space for entertainment, social interaction, cultural expression, and sharing everyday experiences. As a result, brands that communicate like traditional corporations may struggle to capture attention, while brands that understand online humor can appear more connected to their audiences.
48 Gen Z students shared their experiences
The researchers used a qualitative approach to understand how young consumers experience and interpret memes in brand communication. The participants were 48 third-year BSBA Marketing students from the College of Business and Accountancy at Gordon College in Olongapo City.
The participants were divided equally among three classes, with 16 students from each block. They were selected because they belonged to Gen Z and were active users of social media platforms where meme-based marketing commonly appears.
Researchers collected information through semi-structured interviews, allowing participants to answer open-ended questions and explain their experiences in their own words. The responses were then examined through thematic analysis to identify recurring ideas and patterns.
The article does not specify the exact dates when the interviews were conducted. It records that the manuscript was received on June 25, revised on July 22, and accepted on August 20, 2026.
Memes can break the “corporate wall”
One of the strongest findings was that humor can make a brand feel more human.
Participants described brands using memes as less formal and easier to connect with. Instead of appearing as distant corporations focused only on selling products, brands could become part of everyday online conversations.
In their interpretation, the Gordon College researchers argue that meme marketing can reduce the psychological distance between brands and consumers by replacing formal promotional language with communication that feels more natural and conversational.
Funny content can make brands easier to remember
The second major finding concerns attention and brand recall.
Participants said memes can interrupt the constant stream of social media content because they are entertaining, visually recognizable, and different from conventional advertisements. A humorous post can encourage users to stop scrolling, engage with the content, and remember the brand associated with it.
The participants also identified TikTok as an effective platform for meme marketing. Its fast-moving, trend-driven environment supports the rapid circulation of short and entertaining content. Memes can also become a form of social currency, with users sharing them with friends to communicate emotions, experiences, or inside jokes.
For businesses, this means a successful meme may do more than generate views. It can help a brand become part of conversations that consumers are already having online.
Timing and cultural relevance are critical
The research also delivers a warning to marketers: not every meme will work for every brand.
Participants emphasized that meme-based content needs to match the brand's identity, audience expectations, cultural context, and timing. An outdated meme can quickly appear irrelevant or “cringe,” particularly among Gen Z audiences who closely follow rapidly changing online trends.
Industry also matters. Participants suggested that brands in finance, insurance, healthcare, and other serious sectors should use humor carefully because consumers may expect professionalism and trustworthiness from these services. Excessive or inappropriate humor could undermine credibility.
The researchers further identified reputational risk as a major concern. Because memes can spread rapidly, a mistake in tone or cultural context can receive widespread attention just as quickly as successful content. Public backlash or so-called cancel culture can therefore turn a marketing opportunity into a reputational problem.
Opportunity for small businesses
The findings may be particularly relevant to micro, small, and medium-sized businesses that cannot afford large traditional advertising campaigns.
The article notes that meme-based content can be relatively inexpensive to produce and distribute. For smaller businesses, creative social media content can provide a way to develop a recognizable digital identity and compete for consumer attention without requiring the advertising budgets of large corporations. The researchers connect this potential with Sustainable Development Goal 8, particularly efforts supporting entrepreneurship, creativity, and MSME growth.
The researchers recommend that marketers adopt conversational communication, create content based on audiences' shared experiences, monitor trends in real time, and assess whether humor fits the brand and industry. They also recommend involving Gen Z cultural insiders in reviewing potentially sensitive content before publication.
However, the researchers caution that their findings should not be interpreted as proof that memes directly increase purchases. Because the study examined participants' perceptions and experiences through qualitative interviews, it does not establish a statistical causal relationship with purchasing behavior or long-term consumer loyalty.
Author Profile
The study was written by Lovely Kyle Nichole Arizo, Charlou Bestudio, Cielo Garcia, Rafael Montehermoso, Stefanny Anne Vecina, Joy Ann Ragasa, and Geraldine Raydanas, all affiliated with Gordon College, Olongapo City, Philippines. Their research focuses on meme marketing, Gen Z consumer perceptions, digital humor, and brand personality. The article does not provide the academic degrees or individual fields of expertise of the seven authors, so those details cannot be independently stated from the published source. Stefanny Anne Vecina is listed as the corresponding author.
Source
Arizo, Lovely Kyle Nichole; Bestudio, Charlou; Garcia, Cielo; Montehermoso, Rafael; Vecina, Stefanny Anne; Ragasa, Joy Ann; & Raydanas, Geraldine. (2026). “The Role of Memes and Humor in Shaping Gen Z's Perception of Brand Personality.” Asian Journal of Applied Business and Management, Volume 5, Issue 3, pages 733–752.
Official journal: Asian Journal of Applied Business and Management
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