# Tongue-in-Cheek Meme Marketing Campaigns Mike's Hard Lemonade & Imgur Target Millennial Audiences By Kalin Ned | Published 2019-06-04 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meme-marketing1 References: [thedrum](https://www.thedrum.com/creative-works/project/wavemaker-mikes-hard-lemonade-the-brighter-times) & [imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/LxL1VrO) Meme marketing has become a popular form of advertising in the digital age as brands adapt their content to fit the preferences and sense of humor of Millennial and Gen Z audiences. For Mother's and Father's Day, Mike's Hard Lemonade collaborates with Imgur and Wavemaker on a series of cheeky ads that tackle everyday interactions with parental figures — from the reluctance of a mother to stop embracing her child to the advice of a dad that socks and sandals are ultra-comfortable. The meme marketing campaign for the holidays is part of Mike's Hard Lemonade's 'The Brighter Times' which focuses on optimism in an age where it is far easier to be a pessimist. In addition to the humorous visual assets, the campaign also hosts a contest, where the brand pledges to fly out "six lucky Imgurians home to surprise mom and dad." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.6/10 - Popularity: 93% | Activity: 66% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Internet](https://www.trendhunter.com/internet) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Meme Marketing:** Opportunity for brands to leverage memes to connect with Millennial and Gen Z audiences in a humorous and relatable way. - **Collaborative Advertising:** Collaborations between brands, online platforms, and marketing agencies provide an opportunity for unique and targeted advertising campaigns. - **Optimistic Branding:** Brands can capitalize on the desire for positivity and optimism in marketing campaigns to stand out in a saturated digital landscape. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Alcohol Beverage:** Alcohol beverage industry can adopt meme marketing to engage Millennial and Gen Z consumers and differentiate their brands from competitors. - **Online Advertising:** Online advertising platforms can explore collaborations with brands to create meme marketing campaigns that resonate with younger audiences. - **Marketing Agencies:** Marketing agencies specializing in creative and humorous campaigns can partner with brands to develop meme-based advertising strategies. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Humorous Mother's Day Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gift-glow-up-shop.md) - [Gen Z Hotline Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/peach-responsibly.md) - [Cross-Generational Hard Tea Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dont-retire-the-party.md) - [Cheeky Father's Day Promotions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dad-jokes2.md) - [Emoji-Inspired Beer Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/emojiless.md) - [Celebratory Beverage Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/legendary-stories.md) - [Parenthood Beer Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheers-to-parenthood.md) - [Cinematic Condiment Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/national-advertising-campaign.md) - [Fake Mocktail Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mocktail-launch.md)