“A meme, as defined by memetic theory, constitutes a theoretical unit of cultural information, the building block of culture or cultural evolution which spreads through diffusion propagating from one mind to another analogously to the way in which a gene propagates from one organism to another as a unit of genetic information and of biological evolution.  Multiple memes may propagate as cooperative groups called memeplexes (meme complexes).  Biologist and evolutionary theorist Richard Dawkins coined the term meme in 1976.  He gave as examples tunes, catch-phrases, beliefs, clothing fashions, ways of making pots, and the technology of building arches. Meme-theorists contend that memes evolve by natural selection (similarly to Darwinian biological evolution) through the processes of variation, mutation, competition, and inheritance influencing an individual entity’s reproductive success. So with memes, some ideas will propagate less successfully and become extinct, while others will survive, spread, and, for better or for worse, mutate.”

 

February 4, 2008, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme

Memetic brand, as first coined in the manifesto “Introducing Social Capital Value Add”, was conceived to describe the externally oriented corporate goal of achieving network omnipresence.  I.e. A large, findable digital footprint on the World Wide Web, embedded with favourable references and links. 

Syndication of corporate and product presence can be instigated by corporations and their agencies, but they must activate social media empowered individuals through social networks to achieve maximum reach and a living defense system that neuralizes ideas that negatively impact the brand.  That activation is a function of corporate social capital.

In December of 2007, Google returned two search results for the term and these references used “memetic brand” to elaborate on the previously established cognitive goal of Positioning (Ries & Trout).

Memetic brand, as a unified theory that may be applied consistently to externally oriented corporate social capital and internally oriented cognitive marketing communications goals is a possibility worthy of further study.

This group is dedicated to exploring the idea of memetic brand.  It will highlight everything from strategy, to best practices, to inspiration from the fringes of culture and imagination.  Perhaps, in time, reading the Memetic Brand blog will become a source of tweaks for anyone who wants a good idea to stick and spread.