The Effect of Meme Use in Digital Marketing on Consumer Engagement and Attitudes towards Gojek Application
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47747/fmiic.v1i3.3579Abstract
This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of using memes in digital marketing and its influence on Attitude Toward Ad Engagement towards the Gojek Indonesia brand. Specifically, the research examines how cognitive and affective variables namely Meme Marketing Type, Narrative Transportation, Brand Knowledge, Meme Literacy, and Meme Linguistic Characteristics contribute to shaping consumers' positive responses to meme-based advertising. A quantitative approach was employed by distributing an online questionnaire to 262 respondents who are active social media users in the Jabodetabek area and have been exposed to Gojek Indonesia's meme marketing content. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships among variables in the research model. The results indicate that all tested constructs, which are Meme Marketing Type, Narrative Transportation, Brand Knowledge, Meme Literacy, and Meme Linguistic Characteristics, were found to have a positive and significant influence on Attitude Toward Ad Engagement. Specifically, Narrative Transportation was identified as the strongest determinant (highest importance) of audience engagement attitude, confirming that the power of storytelling and emotional connection within a meme is key to successful brand communication. These findings provide empirical evidence that meme marketing is a highly effective digital communication strategy for building emotional and social connections between the brand and its young audience. The managerial implications of this study suggest that companies, particularly the Gojek creative team, need to focus on strengthening the relevant and relatable narrative elements in every meme content published to enhance audience immersion and emotional resonance, thereby encouraging long-term engagement.
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