MEME MARKETING AND CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT ON NETFLIX INDONESIA: THE ROLES OF PERCEIVED ENTERTAINMENT AND SELF-CONGRUENCE

Shafa Chairunnisa Setiawan (Universitas Pelita Harapan)
Therando Lei (Universitas Pelita Harapan)
Elfi Elfi (Universitas Pelita Harapan)

DeReMa (Development Research of Management) Jurnal Manajemen
Vol. 21 No. 2 (2026): September

This study examines the effect of meme marketing on customer engagement in the context of Netflix Indonesia’s Instagram account, with self-congruence and perceived entertainment as explanatory variables. The study is motivated by the relatively low engagement rate observed despite the increasing use of meme-based content as a digital marketing strategy among Generation Z. Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 117 Generation Z respondents who actively use Instagram and had been exposed to Netflix Indonesia’s meme content. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that meme marketing has positive and significant effects on both self-congruence and perceived entertainment. Perceived entertainment has a positive and significant effect on customer engagement, whereas self-congruence does not significantly affect customer engagement. Meme marketing also has no significant direct effect on customer engagement. These findings indicate that perceived entertainment is more strongly associated with customer engagement than self-congruence in the context examined. The study suggests that using memes alone may not be sufficient to generate engagement; audience perceptions of entertainment are particularly important for generating engagement. The findings provide practical implications for digital entertainment brands by emphasizing the importance of humor, creativity, and entertainment value when designing meme-based content for Generation Z audiences. Abstrak dalam Bahasa Indonesia : Penelitian ini menganalisis pengaruh meme marketing terhadap customer engagement dalam konteks akun Instagram Netflix Indonesia, dengan self-congruence dan perceived entertainment sebagai variabel penjelas. Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh relatif rendahnya tingkat engagement meskipun penggunaan konten berbasis meme sebagai strategi pemasaran digital semakin meningkat di kalangan Generasi Z. Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner daring dari 117 responden Generasi Z yang aktif menggunakan Instagram dan pernah terpapar konten meme Netflix Indonesia. Data dianalisis menggunakan Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa meme marketing berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap self-congruence dan perceived entertainment. Perceived entertainment berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap customer engagement, sedangkan self-congruence tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap customer engagement. Selain itu, meme marketing tidak memiliki pengaruh langsung yang signifikan terhadap customer engagement. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa perceived entertainment memiliki hubungan yang lebih kuat dengan customer engagement dibandingkan self-congruence dalam konteks yang diteliti. Penelitian ini mengindikasikan bahwa penggunaan meme saja belum tentu mampu menghasilkan engagement; audiens perlu merasakan bahwa konten tersebut benar-benar menghibur. Temuan ini memberikan implikasi praktis bagi merek di sektor hiburan digital dengan menekankan pentingnya humor, kreativitas, dan nilai hiburan dalam merancang konten berbasis meme bagi audiens Generasi Z.