Nearly nine in 10 Gen Zs have friends they now communicate with exclusively through online memes, according to a poll of 1,000 people from the generation.
Those who send memes typically fire off 572 to friends and receive 661 each year. Three-quarters say this form of online chatter includes funny videos, gifs and silly images that can bring a friendship together.
Why memes build bonds
This is because they can make everyone laugh (58%), they are relatable (44%), and they can tap into a niche, shared sense of humour that helps friends make a strong bond (40%). For those who say memes have brought them closer, 36% claim they are good at conveying specific niche emotions – including happiness, excitement and amusement.
A quarter think memes are some of the most expressive ways of communicating. However, nothing beats a face-to-face conversation, which was voted the most meaningful form (52%), followed by video calls (32%) and phone calls (29%).
Experts on digital connection
Communications expert Amira Mansour, working with National Express on the research, said: “Memes have become such a natural part of how Gen Z communicate because sometimes sending one is just a way of saying, ‘I saw this and thought of you’ or ‘you’ll understand this because you get me’, without needing to start an entire conversation.
“Shared humour also creates its own language between friends and sometimes a meme can express an emotion or experience that feels harder to put into words.
“What I find interesting about the research is that despite Gen Z growing up with more ways to communicate digitally than any generation before them, they still place higher value on being together in person. That tells us digital communication isn’t necessarily replacing human connection; it can help us maintain it in the moments when we can’t physically be together.
“There are parts of communication that a screen simply can’t replicate. When we’re face-to-face, we’re responding to tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, energy and all the smaller cues we pick up from another person, without even thinking about it.”
In-person still valued
Nearly half (46%) say they laugh the most with their friends in person, even though 73% think digital communication has had a positive impact on their friendships.
More than three-quarters (77%) claim sending and receiving memes is great, but nothing beats hanging out with friends in person. Exactly two-thirds believe they need to see their pals at least once a month to maintain a strong friendship.
But lack of free time (38%), living too far apart (36%), and limited transport options (15%) can make things difficult. And 68% believe living in different places can make it hard to keep a friendship strong, according to the stats by OnePoll.
Rocio Escondrillas, commercial director at National Express, which is running a competition on its Instagram and TikTok encouraging students to turn their memes into miles, said: "Memes have become a huge part of how Gen Z keeps in touch, and it’s great to see how they can help maintain friendships when you’re miles apart.
“But as the research shows, there’s nothing quite like spending quality time together in real life.
“We know students are often juggling busy lives and tight budgets, so getting together with friends and family isn’t always easy.
“With millions of young people travelling on our services each year, we understand how important it is to have access to affordable and reliable travel, our nationwide network helps you get to where you need to be so you can stay connected with the people who matter, wherever they live."
