Internet Memes as Cultural and Marketing Tools: Exploring Symbolic Innovation and Digital Cultural Evolution

This research proposal investigates the role of internet memes as tools for symbolic innovation and their impact on digital cultural evolution. It focuses on memes' ability to reshape cultural meanings and foster participatory communication within online spaces. The study employs netnography, an ethnographic method tailored for digital environments, to analyze meme creation, adaptation, and evolution within active online communities such as Reddit and Instagram.

Through qualitative analysis and case studies of prominent meme-driven campaigns, the research aims to develop a theoretical framework for symbolic innovation facilitated by internet memes.