06
Mar, 2019
While our trained eyes can identify a copypasta digital strategy a mile away, talking to a client the other day made us realise that not everyone is wise to this type of tactic.
So what on earth is copypasta?
Usually our team loves anything to do with pasta, but copypasta we just can’t get into. Wikipedia defines copypasta as blocks of text that individuals copy and paste across the Internet using online forums and social media– a practice often compared to spam.
The most common (and highly irritating if you ask us) copypasta examples are when people guilt-trip their friends, family and followers into copying and pasting – a bit like a modern-day chain letter!
Examples of this include:
- ‘Normally I don’t do this…but if you really care you’ll copy and paste this into your feed…’
- ‘If you want good luck for 5 years or a billion dollars, just copy and paste this.’
Seriously, a billion? But you’d be surprised how many people do as the copypasta says.
Memes – the one acceptable form of copypasta
Undoubtedly there are some very funny memes out there. With shrinking attention spans and the rise of social platforms (they’re SO user-friendly on socials) and the innate hilarity of memes, they’re perfect for quick take-up.
Not just for fun, memes can also be used to drive engagement, which is great because we marketers are always searching for ways to deliver a client’s message and brand strategically to their audience. Crafting content that gives customers a moment of light relief and engages them on an emotional level (when delivered properly) can result in increased brand recognition.
It’s worth considering that some memes have a very short shelf life – a lot shorter than your digital campaign – and that many pop culture references are more niche than we realise. That said, other copypasta memes employed for marketing purposes are beautifully simple and timeless, crossing the generational divide with ease. As always, judgment is key.
