From Chill Guy to Pookie Baba: Memes brands couldn’t resist in 2024

Memes, the language of younger millennials and Gen Z, serve as a source of entertainment and relatability. Popular meme clips, such as Bado Badi by Chahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ek Machli Paani Pe Gayi Japak, Sad Hamster, and Chin Tapak Dam have seamlessly integrated into everyday screen time, offering moments of humour and reliability.

Brands from various categories also embrace meme culture, finding it relatable, attention-grabbing, and irresistible compared to traditional campaigns. It is also cost-effective, has the potential to go viral, and leverages trending topics, allowing brands to participate in ongoing conversations.

In 2024, even political parties embraced the potential of meme marketing. For the Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hired meme marketing agencies, such as Acquaint Consultants, to bolster its online presence and connect with younger voters.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) also incorporated memes into its communication strategy to engage first-time and younger voters.

Also Read: Memes matter: The language of India’s 22% voters

Memes have become a key ingredient in marketing strategies, with brands increasingly seeking to develop creative ideas inspired by them to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Here are the top meme trends that brands leveraged in 2024:

1. Ganji Chudail

The wacky cartoon character Ganji Chudail has become an internet sensation and a favourite among brands. Companies such as Shaadi.com, Netflix, Swiggy, Instamart, Nykaa, Pilgrim, and Fassos have used the quirky character to connect with audiences.  Ganji Chudail’s antics and relatable content have driven engagement across platforms.

YouTube India took the character’s popularity a step further by transforming Ganji Chudail into a live-action avatar, featuring veteran actor Neena Gupta in the role.

As per our earlier interaction with the leadership team of Majedar Kahani, the YouTube channel behind the character, it charges brands between Rs 50,000 and Rs one lakh for branded content featuring Ganji Chudail.

2. Chill Guy

The anthropomorphic dog known as “Chill Guy” has captured internet fandom with his nonchalant, aspirational persona. Created by artist Philip Banks on October 4, 2023, Chill Guy’s signature look—a brown dog in a grey sweater, rolled-up blue jeans, and red trainers—quickly became iconic.

Also Read: The rise of Chill Guy: How a laid-back dog conquered the internet

The character’s rise in popularity even led to the creation of a cryptocurrency token, CHILLGUY, which reached a market cap of over $450 million.

Brands including Saregama, Sprite, and international entities such as March Madness and NFL on CBS have incorporated Chill Guy into their campaigns. Saregama, for instance, turned its artists into Chill Guy avatars on Instagram, riding the trend’s wave of virality.

3. Pookie Baba

Pookie Baba, a social media nickname for spiritual leader Aniruddhacharya Ji Maharaj, emerged as a viral sensation in 2024. Short videos of his witty remarks during conversations with devotees gained traction online, earning him the endearing moniker.

Pookie Baba's viral moments caught the attention of brands such as Zepto and Booble AI, who quickly incorporated him into their marketing campaigns to boost brand recall.

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4. Meme crossovers

Swiggy's promotional campaign for group ordering tapped into meme culture, featuring iconic figures such as Puneet Superstar, Dolly Chaiwala, Vada Pav Girl, and Ganji Chudail. This convergence of meme characters in a single campaign exemplifies how brands are using meme-driven storytelling to engage diverse online audiences.

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The beauty of memes is their wild card nature. One moment, it's a serious news debate; the next, it's a goofy dance move or a classic movie scene.

We wish 2025 to bring even more unforgettable memes.