Over the last month, conversations with my marketing and agency friends have been abuzz with talk about Twitter. More specifically, we’re discussing the viability of the platform for brands under Elon Musk’s leadership. Is the situation as bad as it seems? With an uncertain future, is it time to panic? Should we tell clients to stop tweeting? Worse yet, should we deactivate our personal accounts?

I was an early Twitter adopter and watched the app evolve. I was initially attracted to Twitter because it felt like a group of friends sharing interesting tidbits. The discussions were lively and robust. I began talking to TWIST President and Partner Charlene Coughlin on Twitter over a decade ago, and we eventually met at a local Tweetup. I received a job offer on Twitter. I had conversations with celebrities and celebrated big moments during major sporting events. There was a sense of community, of meaningful connections that you couldn’t find on other platforms. No surprise, that’s great for brands — and combining the two made my career in content even more enjoyable.

But admittedly, I’m using the app less. For as much fun as it was, let’s not forget that Twitter has always had problems. The platform is a breeding ground for bullying, harassment, and misinformation. Trolling hit new heights in recent years. You can find the worst in humanity if you’re looking for it.

Now, amid the ongoing drama, I find myself closely following the news so we at TWIST can advise our clients. As it stands, there are several implications stemming from Musk’s takeover.

User unrest. It’s estimated that Twitter has lost more than a million users since Musk took over. Over a month since leadership changed hands, users continue to threaten to leave.

Lack of resources. A mass exodus of Twitter staff in addition to extensive layoffs has translated to a loss of knowledge at the platform. Many are now wondering who is left to handle changing audience needs with a lack of support staff and community moderators.

Security risks. Some of the notable resignations at Twitter include top security officials. Cybersecurity experts now believe security holes exist that could lead to compromised accounts and question if the app can fend off such threats.

Potential FTC repercussions. Several legislators have asked federal regulators to investigate any possible violations of consumer protection laws or of its data security commitments, leading to more distrust and safety concerns for users.

Damage of reputation. As it wades the waters of bad publicity, lack of trust, and weakened engagement, we have yet to hear a philosophy that spells out Twitter’s commitments to its community. This can hurt the app in the long run.

What should you do now?

Archive your tweets. If there’s something you care about on Twitter, now’s the time to download your content. In your account settings, you can ask to download an archive of your data. Your Twitter archive saves all your information starting with your first tweet. Twitter says this could take up to 24 hours to receive, but be warned, I’ve heard friends say they’ve waited a few days for their archive.

Know where your customers are. Do your research. If your customers on are on Twitter, you won’t want to abandon it. Customer care interactions on the platform should continue. Plus, you’ll want to gauge the platform’s longevity and see if customers stick with it.

If you find audiences engaging elsewhere, broaden your focus to those social media apps. Or start experimenting with platforms you are curious about — like TikTok or BeReal.

Move from “rented land.” My friend Joe Pulizzi, founder of The Tilt and author of Content Inc., has forever preached about the pitfalls of building brands on rented land. Think about it. What’s more beneficial: content published on your website or social media posts and fans that could disappear when maniacal ownership decides to shut down the rented land? Joe’s team at The Tilt suggests having a strategy to move your rented followers to things you can more control, like an email newsletter or an owned membership site.

Musk sees “extraordinary potential” in Twitter, so more changes are likely on the horizon.

Take into consideration that there’s a real possibility Twitter will not survive. And if it does, the Twitter you once knew could become a thing of the past. So, use this time to rethink your 2023 social strategy (or start one if you haven’t already).

Is there a Twitter alternative?

Sorry, there’s nothing that can replace Twitter. It’s a special social app. Facebook is well, Facebook. LinkedIn is a place for professional networking, not real time conversations. Reddit is pretty siloed, particularly when you compare it to Twitter’s digital town square format.

Mastodon, Hive, and Post are platforms seeing an increase in new users, particularly those flocking from Twitter. All three social sites share similarities with Twitter and have quirks of their own. But none appear to be a firehose of headlines, memes, and hot takes like the blue bird app. With all that’s going on, it’s difficult to predict what might be coming next. Can any site foster the same communities and conversations that thrived on Twitter? It’s too soon to know for sure, but you can count on TWIST to keep you up to date on the latest developments. All we can say is, “stay tuned.”

Chapter 1: The Late Nineties, Uniting art and message (1997-2000)

It was a time when fax machines were big, computers were happy just being beige and Cleveland was as exciting as an 80’s suburban bank lobby. That’s when Mike met Connie and a mission was born.

The two were married in ’99 and by 2000 began TWIST a brand agency with a two-word mission: fight mediocrity.

“TWIST was founded to change the conversation about Cleveland.”

— Mike Ozan

With their honeymoon in the rearview, Mike and Connie began a multi-city search for proper agency inspiration. The couple sought to build upon the C. Ratka Design brand, the design agency founded by Connie in 1997 which already had made waves with work for Cleveland Public Theatre and several corporate brands. They visited with New York and San Francisco agencies who were committed to business objectives that included community enhancement and local small business growth.

The couple observed that significant neighborhood and community revitalization was so often led by the arts community. More than giving buildings new life and new purpose, uniquely arts organizations have the power to attract a city’s wealthiest citizens to neighborhoods most in need of investment.

By building the brands and attraction strategies of the city’s cultural offerings, TWIST could help to spark movements that improved the quality of life for Cleveland. The agency’s first clients were those in the city’s avant-garde performing arts community.  

These included: Cleveland Public Theatre, Red {an orchestra}, Verb Ballets, and Cleveland International Film Festival.

Chapter 2: From Arts to Neighborhoods (2001-07)

In the summer of 2003, TWIST moved from the Prospect Park Building in Midtown, Cleveland to the historic near west Cleveland neighborhood of Ohio City. The location was selected intentionally as emblematic of the agency’s pioneering spirit and desire to be a part of the neighborhoods where their growing list of arts and community clients were already located. The agency renovated a 19^th century mill worker flop house into a spacious creative center for clients, the community, and its staff.

“When we relocated to 1985 W. 28th Street, we had to describe the location by triangulating between the West Side Market, St. Ignatius and Great Lakes Brewery. The neighborhood name Ohio City was unknown, by 2011 TWIST had changed that and solidified its place as a creative problem solver whose strategies attract development and create jobs.”

— Connie Ozan

Fighting mediocrity gained credibility as a mission, and the popularity of the campaigns created by TWIST demonstrated the agency’s unique ability to blend bold message and design in way that delivered significant value to clients.  Rapid growth for both clients and the agency followed.

From 2004 to 2005, TWIST experienced an 80% increase in revenue and was named one of Weatherhead’s 2006 Upstart Companies. By this time, TWIST had won over 100 local, regional, and national awards for design and creative excellence. In 2007, Connie was recognized in Crain’s Cleveland’s Forty Under 40 list and in 2009 Mike was named by Graphic Design USA as an Agency Leader to Watch.

In 2006, TWIST authored an entirely new brand strategy and launched a new identity for the Sisters of Charity Health System. The agency continued to guide their 20 member brand family for the next 15 years.

TWIST’s impressive network of local and national clients was growing — Cleveland Institute of Art, American Greetings, Time Warner Cable, Dots, Fifth Third Bank, and Cuyahoga Community College.

Chapter 3: Be a brand that matters. (2008-13) 

In 2008, the recession threatened the agency. Like many businesses, TWIST was forced to lay off some of its employees and national clients were costing too much to maintain. TWIST resigned accounts in both NYC and San Francisco to focus on Cleveland. The agency leaned into its community work, focusing on projects that contributed locally.

While there were many low periods during this era, TWIST was able to build strong relationships with the local brands it supported and find new opportunities close to home. 

In 2009, TWIST won the work to build the brand and attraction strategy for the Ohio City neighborhood, and for the centennial celebration of the West Side Market. The strategy and campaign reduced market district storefront vacancies from nearly 40% to zero in less 18 months, creating $100 million in economic impact and 400 jobs. Today, Ohio City is a thriving neighborhood in very high demand.

TWIST continued to take on projects that revitalized Cleveland. A year later, Downtown Cleveland Alliance engaged TWIST to change the conversation about downtown Cleveland and attract more businesses back to the urban core. With built outdoor moments and video content highlighting champions of the downtown area, the TWIST campaign reduced vacancies in class B and C office space by 60% in the first year, reversing the cycle of companies fleeing downtown for the suburbs. During this period, TWIST also created the brands and attraction strategies for the Cleveland Health Tech Corridor, the Old Brooklyn Neighborhood, as well as a number of other neighborhood CDC organizations and the nonprofits that support and advocate for them.

In 2011, the team at TWIST launched an entirely new brand strategy and fan engagement campaign for the Cleveland Indians and continued for the next five years as the MLB team’s brand agency.

The agency’s clients had grown to include St. Ignatius, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland Guardians, Sisters of Charity, and Paladar.

Chapter 4: Claiming Fearless Thinking (2014-18)

In 2013, TWIST joined forces with the City of Cleveland to attract and host the 2014 International Gay Games. TWIST donated their work and built the identity and messaging that welcomed the world to Cleveland.

In 2014, now President and Partner Charlene Coughlin joined the TWIST team, creating the account services department. Before TWIST, Charlene held leadership and management positions at both advertising and nonprofit agencies. Using her expertise, Charlene developed a sophisticated business model that set the TWIST team — and clients — on a path toward sustainable growth. She was later promoted in 2017 to Managing Director.

In 2015, the agency rebranded itself and claimed a new philosophy: Fearless Thinking — the permission to boldly explore new ideas, uninhibited by the way things have always been done.

Motivated by an expanding pool of clients, the addition of new team members, and expansion in several service lines, TWIST relocated to the Cleveland neighborhood of Tremont continuing the agency’s commitment to participate in positive economic growth. Now, in the renovated Fairmont Creamery, the agency had the open floor plan and a build out that reflected their brand values and connected the business to its community. 

As a demonstration in Fearless Thinking, TWIST launched an outdoor advertising experiment in 2017 that sparked national conversations. These strange billboards were named one of the best outdoor campaigns by Adweek that year and proved that outdoor advertising was still an effective medium to start conservation.

“We were overwhelmed by the online response to our experimental billboard campaign and the feature by Adweek inspired us to keep thinking fearlessly.”

— Charlene Coughlin

Chapter 5: Cleveland’s Brand Agency (2019-23)

TWIST’s fearless mindset was proving to be successful. By 2019, the company had won over 250 awards, was Emmy nominated for its creation of the CHN Housing Partners mini documentary, and had won the work of billion-dollar company PURELL®. 

Just as the agency was hitting its 20th anniversary, COVID-19 moved everyone out of the office for an unexpected two years of working from home. 

The agency, however, would not be deterred by a global pandemic, and its momentum to serve Cleveland brands and causes continued. In the spring of 2020, TWIST launched Brand X — a team of local branding, creative, marketing, culture, and business experts dedicated to helping Cleveland small businesses, causes, and their leaders navigate through changing economic and cultural times – pro bono. 

Along with Brand X, the agency also created My Pandemic Pivot Tool Kit, a response to the needs of smaller brands, businesses, and nonprofits, who lack the resources but have a great need for agency guidance when it comes to restoring sales or donations. 

Amid COVID recovery, TWIST solidified what it had known since the beginning: Cleveland clients deserve better. That’s why, to this day, TWIST continues to stand up for our community, our clients, our team, and our values. 

Despite a global pandemic, 2020 was the year Charlene was selected as an Adweek Executive Mentee and spoke at Brandweek on issues related to equity and diversity in advertising. Today, she still uses her platform to share TWIST’s values with industry professionals across the country and expand our creative network. The next year, she was named President of TWIST and included as an Adweek Women’s Trailblazer. In 2022, she joined Mike and Connie as an equity partner in the agency. 

Under the leadership of Mike, Connie, and Charlene, the agency continues to live and grow our dedication to the community. The Fearless Thinkers care not only about the projects we work on but about the clients themselves and their values. In 2022, TWIST introduced charitable giving opportunities for our team and clients, flat rate pricing for non-profits and educational institutions, as well as new wellness and continuing education incentives and benefits for TWIST employees.

With eyes on the future, TWIST is still growing its team. Two years after the pandemic began, TWIST hired the first member of its expanding content writing department. In 2022, the agency has worked to elevate the client experience and tailored its services in a way that delivers the highest performance for the challenger brands and disruptive causes it serves.  

After experiencing some of the largest growth in company history, TWIST is investing in the future of agency leadership. We are proud to announce the appointment of three members to our leadership team. Andrea Buskirk, Monina Wagner, and Stefanie D’Angelo embody what it means to be Fearless Thinkers, daring to make our clients and the agency world even bolder.

“Today, we’re known for more than just our work. We stand out because our leaders’ visions for ourselves and our clients make waves, reshaping the future of the industry,” says Charlene.

These appointments parallel a drastic increase in our client network. TWIST is optimizing our team’s capabilities to help even more Cleveland brands and causes impress the world. In this period of growth, Andrea, Monina, and Stefanie will continue to help us live our promise to our clients of creating an experience that’s easy, affordable, and fun.

Andrea Buskirk

Andrea has been promoted from Account Executive to Account Director. In this new role, Andrea will continue to build client relationships while working to grow an account team that manages every phase of the marketing cycle. Her willingness to embrace the ebbs and flows of business helps TWIST deliver on what’s being asked and to think of solutions clients can’t. Her respect for client goals will be a huge driver of the agency’s success.

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Monina Wagner

Monina will now serve as Creative Director, leading the design and content teams on brand strategies, identities, and campaigns. She has proven to be tenacious and nimble, two qualities which will serve her well in this new role. She pushes creative boundaries and will ensure teams are producing innovative deliverables for our clients. Alongside Connie, Mike, and Charlene, Monina will also be instrumental in guiding the next generation of talent at TWIST.

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Stefanie D’Angelo

Stefanie has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. As one of its longest-tenured team members, Stefanie has been a cornerstone of the agency’s operations. She brings significant management knowledge and experience to TWIST, overseeing the entire agency’s internal functions. She connects creativity to the bottom line for the agency and its clients. Her adaptability, resiliency, and business savvy served as a foundation that supported TWIST through a global pandemic.

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“Andrea, Monina, and Stefanie embody our core values. The industry landscape is changing, but the promotion of these leaders ensures continuity of our agency’s culture. Together, they will build and foster the relationships needed to drive long-term growth for TWIST and our clients.”

— Charlene Coughlin, Partner & President

Over the summer, I read a thought provoking tweet and was intrigued by the author’s perspective.

Between getting kids back to school and a bit of travel and reflection, I’ve had some time to think about it. Personally, I agree with him.

I believe good design is thoughtful and has a purpose. It can be minimalist or maximalist. It doesn’t really matter. Just be original.

I recently had a great conversation with a friend who moved to New York City in the late 1990s. He owns and runs an agency just like TWIST. I asked what he thought about the evolution of creativity in the city and what has changed in recent years. His answer: “Isolation.”

Even in the Design Capital of the World where creativity is celebrated and creative risks are taken, we are finding the death of aesthetics. We are working alone, becoming more dependent on social channels and screens for ideation.

We live in a “copy and paste” world where everyone — I mean everyone — rips off ideas from Pinterest, Behance, and the like. Sad but true, we have all succumbed to this method of working, myself included.

With this, trends have evolved. The criteria of good design have changed. We all know social media is a blessing and curse! We adore it, are addicted to it, and despise it at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong. I truly love Pinterest and use it as a source for inspiration. However, I pride myself on being a bit old school when it comes to design thinking and process. What does this mean? Design is in the details. It takes time to appreciate the beauty. The details might be subtle, and with everyone moving so fast, there isn’t time to notice.  

This leads to the homogenization of design. We are living in an Instagram world. How have we lost the distinct visual experiences that once inspired us? How did this happen?

Original solutions have been on the decline because of:

— A loss of individuality.

— A loss of craftsmanship.

— A loss of “thinking” in creative solutions.

— A loss of taking risks.

Add in clients wanting everything faster and creatives trying too hard to mimic what they see on social channels. There’s also the over saturation of design references on the internet, allowing creatives to pull from established models. Our industry is seeing a rising number of professionals who think they are graphic designers but have little design training; they simply know how to use the software. They have never worked three-dimensionally. They have never looked at a paper sample.  

So how do we get back to uniqueness?

— Let’s get people back to working in-person.

— Let’s reconnect as teams.

— Let’s have conversations.

— Let’s listen to each other.

— Let’s have designers collaborate with writers and content teams to bring brand stories to life — words and visuals.

Mature creatives can certainly learn a lot from their younger colleagues — reverse mentoring – which I truly enjoy!  I’m always learning more efficient ways of working with technology and new perspectives on global movements. Gaining knowledge and insight from my team has been very positive.

In the same way, less experienced creatives can learn “old school” techniques: sketching, brainstorming, and getting thoughts down on paper. At TWIST, we even “cut and paste” in real life when workshopping a project, creating mood boards on the walls or printing pages of large annual reports. Moving them, taking them down, using tape: it’s fun, collaborative, and creates in-person synergy among teams.

My advice to young creative minds: Spend more time when outside of work away from your screens. Go explore. Inspiration is everywhere. It’s in the music we listen to, different cultural experiences we have, conversations with friends and family, travel, museums, restaurants, and the food we eat, your next-door neighbor, the colors and textures of nature, and all of our day-to-day surroundings.

In my same trip to NYC, I had a conversation with my daughter, a sophomore at Parsons School of Design. After looking at a fashion exhibit at The Met with beautiful, intricate gowns from the past, she said “I wish women still dressed like this.”

“This is your time,” I told her. “You are the new generation of changemakers. Gen Z’s can bring any aesthetic back with a fresh perspective.”

My message to you is the same. Study the past to revitalize the new. Start by drawing inspiration from life. This is where the magic happens.

Strategic Client Management

With so much time and effort typically required for acquiring new clients, it is no surprise that the same type of attention should be given to nurturing existing relationships. Often an overlooked aspect in sales because of the partiality for securing new customers, maintaining positive client relationships after the win can pose long-term benefits for any company’s overall growth goals.

To best maintain a positive relationship with a current client, it often comes down to one thing: providing them with enduring value. Whether this is through your existing services, positive interactions or simple open communication, keeping clients engaged and consistently working to understand their future needs and offer solutions gives them reasons to stay.

“You need to be strategic so you are viewed as a requirement,” says Scott Moss, principal and founder of M Sales Growth Advisors. “Continuing to provide value puts you in a better position to truly be a partner.”

Once the trust of being a partner is established in a client relationship, it is easier to understand and develop collaborative solutions to meet their goals. Additionally, having insight into a client’s pain points provides opportunities to proactively recommend solutions upfront rather than waiting for them to come to you.

Maintaining Client Relationships

On top of strategic nurturing, closely involving clients in your process can also help build and maintain trust. Regardless of the industry, active and engaged clients usually lead to more successful relationships than those detached from the process.

Whether it’s delivering assets, getting final confirmations, or keeping key stakeholders updated, having to hound clients to keep a process moving forward efficiently can quickly sour a relationship. With this in mind, a great way to avoid a potential communication mishap is to set clear expectations from the beginning.

“By setting expectations, it shows that we know what we are doing,” says Moss. “With a confident and clear-cut approach, everything goes to the appropriate person that needs to be involved. Expectations also need to be clear for accountability purposes so there is never a doubt about who is responsible for what.”

Transparency with a client can go a long way when it comes to providing solutions to fit their needs. Keeping a client closely involved at each step of your process creates less room for misunderstandings, lost interest, or dissatisfaction.

“Clients are more likely to say yes when peripherally being involved in helping define the solution, but it’s also important to not share so much of what happens ‘behind the curtain’ that they think what you’re doing is easy,” says Moss.

Reach out to M Sales Growth Advisors to evaluate your sales strategy.

TWIST Creative, Inc. is proud to announce that Charlene Coughlin has joined the company’s founders as an equity partner of the brand agency she now leads as president.

“Her achievements are many, her networks are strong, her ideas win, and her heart is always in the right place. It is for these reasons Connie and I are so proud to have Charlene not only as the company’s president but as our partner.”

— Michael Ozan, Co-Founder, CEO, Chief Creative Officer

We’ve achieved a great milestone with this announcement as it celebrates our next generation of growth.

Since joining TWIST in 2014, Charlene has demonstrated excellence with her expertise, true commitment to clients, and an unwavering dedication to our agency’s core values.

Charlene is more than an advertising professional. She is a dynamic connector and ambitious business leader who has raised the profile of the agency, as well as the profile of Cleveland as a resource for national brands looking for new perspectives.

As a 2020 Adweek Executive Mentee, Charlene uses her platform to share those values with industry professionals across the country. She has worked with marketing teams from the nation’s fastest growing brands to address workplace equity and gender issues within the advertising industry.

“There is no ceiling at TWIST. Just like our work knows no bounds, Charlene has risen through the ad world with courage and hard work. There are no limits to her success.”

— Connie Ozan, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer

Charlene embraces the culture of collaboration and compassion. She has developed a sophisticated business model that sets our team — and clients — on a path towards sustainable growth.

“This partnership is indicative of Mike and Connie’s commitment to growth — of the agency, of our team, and of the brands we serve. Our unified approach is uniquely TWIST, and I am grateful for this opportunity.”

— Charlene Coughlin, Partner & President

With Charlene’s appointment, Cleveland’s Brand Agency can continue to stand up for our community, our clients, our team, and our values.

“When you find someone strong who works hard, learns fast, and dedicates themself to the success of your vision, you want to see how much you can accomplish together,” Michael says.

There’s no question advertising is rapidly changing. As a trailblazer, Charlene is ready to serve the unique needs of our clients today and champion a more inclusive industry tomorrow.

Please join us in congratulating Charlene!

As Fearless Thinkers, TWIST supports those who impact culture for the better. This summer, TWIST chose to educate ourselves and others on the history of the Pride movement with a series of social posts that embraced empathy, inclusion, and understanding.

Inspired by the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community’s fight for freedom, TWIST Designer Thiago Wimberly called upon historical events and icons that sparked progress in the fight for rights.

Wanting to create something powerful for Pride Month, Thiago came to the team with a mood board filled with a mix of bold text, color, pattern, and collage. He drew inspiration from London-based artist and illustrator Hattie Stewart and queer artist Kris Andrew Smalls, who had recently collaborated with Adidas on a Pride collection. Thiago also shared articles and archival images from the 1969 Stonewall Riots, the beginning of the movement, emphasizing that Pride month isn’t only about the celebration. It’s about honoring history.

“The Pride series was designed with the intent to educate our audience on what Pride really is about; it holds a revolutionary meaning to its core, and it’s important that we remember those who paved the way so we LGBTQIA+ could get where we are today.”

— Thiago Wimberly, Graphic Designer

Excited by the power and emotion of the archives images we found, the team picked four historical moments and figures to highlight in the series — Stonewall, the first Pride flag, marriage equality, and Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent transgender activist. Thiago overlayed colorful illustrations on original photography, elevating the photos and evoking feelings that reflected the force of individuals in the LGBTQIA+ movement. He also created two type-only images, drawing on the impact of protest signage and words.

“The design direction had to be expressive, but I also wanted it to have some of the revolutionary feel that sparked the first Pride movements,” he said.

Once Thiago sat down with his ideas, he rarely put down his pen. There were always ideas to show the team. 

“As part of the DEII committee at TWIST, we are constantly working towards using design as a tool to create change and uplift community voices. I am very proud and grateful for being able to express myself through the design in this series.”

— Thiago Wimberly, Graphic Designer

Follow the Fearless Thinkers on Instagram to view the entire Pride Month series.

Memes are great, but should brands jump on the bandwagon?

It’s hard not to see all the Little Miss images being posted on social media.

As of this writing, there have been 203.5 million views of the “Little Miss” hashtag on TikTok. Four hundred forty-three thousand posts have used the hashtag on Instagram. The meme began on Tumblr and has trickled into Twitter as well.

The trend has been going strong for weeks, and rightfully so. The meme riffs on designs from the “Mr. Men” and “Little Miss” children’s books. The main characters are named after their prominent personality traits. (Fun side note: The books were written and illustrated by Roger Hargreaves, an ad agency copywriter.)

People are using the memes to highlight their coffee orders (Little Miss Drinks Iced Lattes Even Though It Hurts Her Tummy), favorite Netflix shows (Little Miss Obsessed with Stranger Things), prescription medications (Little Miss Xanax), and more. They’re jovial and at times a bit absurd.

Memes are special in that they know how to communicate feelings, attitudes, and opinions in a way other mediums can’t. It’s no surprise that every time a meme trends, brands want in on it. Think for a second. A meme’s instant recognizability could help a brand gain awareness — perhaps even go viral. Memes are engaging. They connect brands to their customers.

But spoiler: This is not an invitation for you to jump on the Little Miss moment.

So, when should brands consider meme marketing? Here are three questions to ask to discover if its right for you.

Does this align with your brand’s story?

If you’ve done your homework, your brand will already have an established voice and tone that hopefully carries cross-channels and into social media. All memes rely on humor. Don’t force your brand into online conversations where it doesn’t belong. Authentic representation of your brand is key. As with any trending topic, find a meme that matches your brand’s mission.

Will your audience care?

Once you’ve established a meme makes sense, consider your audience — their age, cultural backgrounds, and economic status. Will they understand the reference? Could the meme’s content potentially offend your customer base?

Nostalgia is what draws me into the Little Miss memes. I love the Little Miss memes because they appeal to Gen Xers like me who remember these characters from our youth. Yet their comic sensibility attracts Gen Z. But even with their explosive popularity, the meme may not be right for you. Why? Because you are not your audience. Learn about what they value then consider if the meme will resonate with them.

Is the time right?

Timing is everything. Memes have a short lifespan. An outdated meme could do more harm than not posting one at all. The audience loses interest and could be ignored by even the most loyal of social followers. Monitoring Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter regularly can help you track the latest memes, so you don’t miss opportunities to inject your brand on the latest trend.

And remember, nothing kills a meme faster than a brand trying too hard to be relevant, weeks after it peaks.

When done right, memes can humanize brands and increase audience engagement. It’s important to keep in mind why your customers follow your brand on social media. It’s not only to be entertained by memes; they look to get relevant news or be served quality customer service. Say something witty and helpful — in a meme or simply a tweet — and you’ll surely impact your brand perception.