Effect of Meme-Based Advertising on Brand Loyalty Among Instagram Users in Benin City

Social media platforms, particularly Instagram, have transformed contemporary advertising by enabling brands to use meme-based content to engage audiences through humour, relatability, and cultural relevance. Despite its growing adoption, there is limited empirical evidence on whether meme-based advertising translates into sustained brand loyalty, especially among users in specific local contexts such as Benin City. This study examined the effect of meme-based advertising on brand loyalty among Instagram users in Benin City, focusing on exposure level, user perception, and its influence on loyalty behaviour. It was anchored in the Uses and Gratification Theory. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, with a sample size of 384 determined using Cochran’s formula, of which 352 valid responses were returned and analysed. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed with descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that Instagram users in Benin City are highly exposed to meme-based advertising and perceive it as more engaging, relatable, and attention-grabbing than traditional advertising. However, while meme-based advertising positively influences emotional attachment, interaction, and brand preference, its effect on long-term brand loyalty is moderate and unstable. The study concludes that meme-based advertising is more effective as an engagement and brand visibility tool than as a standalone driver of sustained brand loyalty. It recommends that brands integrate meme strategies with consistent branding, informational content, and broader relationship-building approaches to achieve lasting consumer commitment.

Meme advertising; Brand loyalty; Instagram; Benin City; Social media marketing.

1. Adeyinka, T., & Musa, R. (2026). Brand loyalty in digital environments: The role of identity alignment and communication consistency. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, 8(1), 45–62. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Abbas, Q., & Rehman, M. M. U. (2025). A multi-modal discourse analysis of meme-marketing strategies used by Pakistani brands on Instagram. Global Social Sciences Review, 10(2), 196–215. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Agrawal, A., Sharma, D., & Mishra, M. K. (2025). Memes matter: Effect of meme content dimensions on brand continuance intention. Journal of Promotion Management, 31(2), 298–336. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Agrawal, A., Sharma, D., Mishra, M. K., Shah, M. A., Alam, M., & Khandelwal, V. (2024). How to cook a meme: Exploring content strategies in brand and user-generated memes on Instagram. Cogent Business & Management, 11(1), 2366001. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Ali, S., Yawar, R. B., Ali, S., Saif, N., Goh, G. G. G., & Khan, F. (2025). From memes to motivation: Understanding how social media influencers drive youth consumption. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1907. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Almaghlouth, A., & Saleh, M. (2024). Impact of social media memes' behavioural motives on brand engagement: The moderating role of user generation. International Journal of Business and Marketing Communication, 4(1), 36–60. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Balami, S. A. (2025). Memes and digital branding: A case study of Jumia Nigeria’s online promotion strategies. Media and Communication Frontiers, 1(1), 28–33. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bowo, F. A., Anisah, A., & Marthalia, L. (2024). Meme marketing: Generation Z consumer behavior on social media. Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Sains, 5(02), 188–201. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Brace, M. W. (2026). The power of memes compels you: Understanding the effects of memes on decision-making and perception through fuzzy-trace theory, cognitive learning styles, and personality traits (Doctoral dissertation, Miami University). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Dhankhar, K. (2026). Customer perception of meme marketing in shaping purchase intentions. International Journal of Advanced Research and Multidisciplinary Trends (IJARMT), 3(1), 1–15. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Dharmawan, R. M. R. B., & Linando, J. A. (2025). Meme marketing: How do memes influence customer perception and awareness of the brand. Ekonomis: Journal of Economics and Business, 9(2), 1136–1142. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Egbuna, I. F., & Salami, K. O. (2025). Digital brand engagement and customer loyalty in emerging markets. African Journal of Business Communication, 12(3), 201–218. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Egbulefu, C. C., & Nwaoboli, E. P. (2023). Political digital advertising: Implications and way forward for Nigeria's 2023 general elections. KIU Interdisciplinary Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 331–349. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Ezeani, U. C. (2026). Social media engagement and meme culture in digital communication: A behavioural perspective. Journal of Digital Media Studies, 5(2), 77–94. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Henrie, K., & Gilde, C. (2026). Is this engagement? The impact of using memes as persuasive communication to Generation Z consumers: A persuasion knowledge perspective. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 1–19. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Jegede, O. W., & Akinboboye, O. M. (2026). Meme marketing and customer patronage in Nestlé Nigeria. International Journal of Management Science and Business Analysis Research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1974). Utilization of mass communication by the individual. In The uses of mass communications: Current perspectives on gratifications research (pp. 19–32). Sage. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Kiljańczyk, M., & Kacprzak, A. (2024). From humor to strategy: An experimental survey on internet memes in social media marketing. European Management Studies, 21(4), 4–29. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Kim, J., & Kim, M. (2025). Viral dynamics on social media: Enhancing brand engagement through meme marketing strategies. Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 46(4), 411–428. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Malodia, S., Dhir, A., Bilgihan, A., Sinha, P., & Tikoo, T. (2022). Meme marketing: How can marketers drive better engagement using viral memes? Psychology & Marketing, 39(9), 1775–1801. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. McQuail, D. (2020). McQuail’s mass communication theory (7th ed.). UK: Sage Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Murray, N., Manrai, A., & Manrai, L. (2014). Memes, memetics and marketing: A state-of-the-art review and a lifecycle model of meme management in advertising. In The Routledge companion to the future of marketing (pp. 331–347). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Nwagbara, U., Obidozie, C., Okon, D., & Ukeje, P. (2026). How small businesses in Nigeria use generative AI to compete in marketing content. Social Science Insights and Applications, 2(2), 1–16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Olorunfemi, A. O., & Chukwu, P. C. (2025). Consumer trust, satisfaction, and brand loyalty in digital marketplaces. International Journal of Business Studies, 14(2), 88–104. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Okoronkwo, C. E. (2025). Analysing the use of memes as a messaging strategy for resilience and crisis communication. International Journal of Research, 9, 2900–2909. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Rolando, B. (2025). The power of meme-based marketing: Driving viral engagement and consumer connection. JUMDER: Jurnal Bisnis Digital Dan Ekonomi Kreatif, 1(4), 17–42. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Salqaura, S. A., Nasib, N., & Salqaura, S. S. (2025). Exploring the role of brand engagement in meme marketing effectiveness. Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Kesatuan, 13(6), 5467–5478. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Shifman, L. (2014). The cultural logic of photo-based meme genres. Journal of Visual Culture, 13(3), 340–358. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Tran, C. D., Vy, L. T., & Tam, T. H. (2025). Tradition or innovation approaches? The role of meme marketing on brand recall and brand engagement: The evidence in Vietnam. Asian Journal of Business Research, 15(1). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. World Population Review. (2026). Benin City population statistics. https://worldpopulationreview.com [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study