Uso del meme en el contenido político: análisis del caso del medio la Posta en Instagram período junio - julio 2023

Abstract

This study analyzes the use of memes in political content on the digital media platform La Posta's Instagram account, focusing on the period between June and July 2023, which saw a surge in political campaigns due to the elections held that year. The research is based on a mixed methodology, combining a literature review, content analysis, and expert interviews, using an interpretative, descriptive, and analytical approach. The aim is to analyze the use of memes in La Posta's political content on Instagram, investigate the characteristics, formats, and audience interaction generated by memes, and, with the help of experts, answer the research question: Is the use of memes as a communication tool for political content relevant? The results show that memes are the main driver of interaction due to their reach and visual impact, triggering a high level of virality due to their easy shareability. In addition to capturing the audience's attention, memes are a didactic resource that reduces information, making it easier to understand the message. Humor and satire accompany the aphorism, an additional piece of information used to reinforce the message. Rhetorical figures also play a fundamental role, mainly paraphrasing, which consists of appropriating the emotion of the meme to a political figure or institution to show greater expressiveness. It was found that political topics and figures are the leaders of public opinion in the comments, not the meme itself. There is also a large percentage of topic deviation, caused by the importance of the political topic/figure to the user. The experts pointed out that memes are a double-edged sword, whose advantages should be enhanced and whose disadvantages should be managed. They therefore recommend setting limits when linking a meme to a topic, measuring the consequences and sensitivity of the issue. Memes, therefore, are a visual tool that can be used to transmit an informative message that connects more with people's emotions, generating more engagement and involving different audiences in public debate due to their simple and humorous nature. However, they should be used under parameters that safeguard the image of the media and political figures.