Ask any teenager with a social media presence about advertising, and they'll probably roll their eyes. As a digital native and fellow teenager, myself, I can understand the frustrations and reservations people have with ads on social media platforms. For one, advertisements usually disrupt the flow of content, which can be upsetting in the middle of a YouTube video or a Snapchat story. Anecdotally, I've also noticed that my generation has a general distain for ads. To me, I think native advertising can be done in a way that doesn't disrupt content, while also engaging viewers through comedy.
One fantastic example of this is the YouTuber Internet Historian. With over 3 million subscribers and 321 million views on all of his videos combined, the content creator (who is known only by his online moniker) is massively popular with young people online. Internet Historian takes on the persona of a professor of Internet studies, and his videos address various online trends, events, and other phenomena throughout the web. Examples of his past video topics include Fyre Festival, the glitchy release of the video game Fallout 76, and the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic, among others. I would describe his videos as a mix between comedy and documentary, with the added dimension of intentionally low-quality animations accompanying his calm and composed commentary.
Just one example of Internet Historian's crude style.
Memes are like human genes, in that they exist to reproduce. At its simplest definition, a meme is any non-tangible item that is culturally transmitted, from person to person, with the intention of getting the most attention possible. According to an article from Smithsonian Magazine, memes can be ideas, tunes, catchphrases, and images. Before the digital age, memes would be spread by word of mouth, shortening their lifespans and reach. However, with the mass popularity of the internet, memes and meme culture are developing so quickly that it's almost impossible to track what the newest viral memes is on any given day.
Not only that, but memes spread primarily through imitation. Internet Historian's videos contain complicated webs of references, speech patterns, formatting decisions, and jokes that are emblematic of internet culture. Since his content centers around interesting events or trends from the history of the World Wide Web, it makes complete sense that he would incorporate common phrases, jokes, and memes in his videos.
One example of imitation can be seen in Internet Historian's icon, which is an MS Paint rendering of this stock image, which became a viral meme.
But what fascinates me the most about Internet Historian's channel is his use of his distinct style in creating engaging native advertisements. Youtube is notoriously known for having a handful of brands and companies that advertise heavily on the platform, such as NordVPN, Raycon earbuds, Skillshare, and Clash of Clans. What I find most interesting about these sponsorships is that these companies are sometimes willing to give their partners a lot of creative liberties with their brand image. NordVPN has been sponsoring Internet Historian for a few years now, and each of his videos includes a native ad around the halfway mark featuring the character NordVPN Man.
Internet Historian's NordVPN Man.
This recurring character functions as an excellent example of how native advertising can be entertaining and relevant when content creators are given some liberty in their portrayal of the company. These "out-of-character" ad breaks are in the same style as the rest of his content, and often play into online tropes. For example, the ad break in the video imitates stalker horror tropes, such as stealing clothing and breaking into a stranger's house. Though this would seem like a dangerous move for NordVPN, to associate their brand with negative or unprofessional imagery, this ad perfectly fits the memetic imitation of Internet Historian's videos.
Not only that, but the ad manages to balance comedy and factual information about the brand. The metaphor of a physical stalker stealing your clothing is meant to represent how unsafe your private information will be if you do not use a VPN online. By keeping a consistent style between the content of the main video and the ad break, viewers are incentivized to watch the entire ad through. Not only does this help when it comes to information retention, but the choice of company is perfect for an audience who loves learning about the internet.
I think that stylized native advertising is the way of the future. It definitely helps that Internet Historian already has an established voice and visual language in his videos that translates excellently to comedic advertising. However, I believe that more companies should consider stretching their limits when it comes to brand image and the way their brand is shown online. As far as I can tell, my generation is tired of being bombarded and interrupted by out-of-place advertisements on social media. In order to compete, companies will need to think outside of the box on ways to create distinct, relevant, and engaging content that doesn't feel like an unwelcome distraction.
What do you think about the future of native advertising and meme culture? Feel free to let me know in the comments.
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