Da viralização à conexão: o uso de memes na estratégia de comunicação do iFood

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the use of memes as a strategy for organizational communication, with emphasis on iFood's brand performance during the reality show Big Brother Brasil 25. The research is grounded on the understanding that, in contemporary digital culture, memes not only entertain but also build symbolic and emotional bonds between brands and audiences, especially younger demographics. The methodology adopted is qualitative and exploratory, combining bibliographic research with netnography and content analysis. The research corpus consisted of posts from iFood's official Instagram profile, published between January and April 2025. The data were organized and interpreted using the analytical dimensions proposed by Shifman (2014): content, form, and stance. The results indicate that iFood uses memes in a planned and strategic manner, respecting the cultural repertoire of its audience and promoting interactions that strengthen the brand's digital identity. It is concluded that memes, when integrated into a well-structured communication strategy, enhance audience engagement and contribute to brand humanization, positioning brands as active agents in the participatory culture of the internet. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]