Branding With The "Prashant" Meme?: IP Risks With Meme Marketing

Ever mispronounced a word, only for it to unexpectedly gain attention? Something exactly like that took over the internet in a frenzy when a digital content creator's innocent slip had the whole nation suddenly very interested in a French pastry which had garnered an Indian name overnight. However, what was not anticipated by the netizens and the content creator himself was the clever marketing strategies of various brands over a simple viral language-learning mishap.

Ayush (@ishowayuu on Instagram), a content creator who often uploads split-screen reels where he guesses objects from pictures. In such a split-screen video, a misheard word turned "croissant" into "Prashant". This innocent reaction went viral on Instagram, garnering around 21.9 million views. An unexpected mispronunciation had the netizens hilariously engaged, and in no time, memes were created.