La teoría mimética aplicada a las relaciones interpersonales a través de redes sociales: el caso de piñagate en Mercadona

Mª del Carmen Paradinas Márquez; Cristina Marín Palacios

doi:10.4185/rlcs-2026-2469

Authors

Mª del Carmen Paradinas Márquez ESIC University; ESIC Business & Marketing School https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6154-9556
Cristina Marín Palacios ESIC University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4631-1811

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2026-2469

Keywords:

Mimetic theory, digital communication, viral phenomena, mimircy, social networks, VOSviewer, human interactions

Abstract

Introduction: Piñagate illustrates how social networks amplify mimetic behaviours. It analyses how desires and behaviours are digitally replicated, highlighting the role of tweets and viral content in their expansion. This case provides new perspectives on mimetic theory applied to digital phenomena and its impact on contemporary communication. Methodology: The analysis was carried out by collecting tweets with ‘pineapple’ AND ‘Mercadona’ AND ‘flirt’. After data cleaning in Excel and Google Colab, a sentiment analysis was carried out with Pipeline (Transformers) to subsequently extract keywords with NLTK and elaborate thematic maps with VOSviewer. Results: The results indicate that the content of the tweets analysed has a positive tone or a favourable response from the community analysed. Four groups are identified: General Context of Mercadona, Strategies for Flirting, Environments and Products, and Moments and Occasions. Discussion: The application of mimetic theory to social networks has generated both interest and criticism. Some argue that it provides a valuable explanation for understanding online behaviour and group dynamics. However, others criticise that it may oversimplify the complexity of human interactions and individual motivations. Conclusions: The piñagate at Mercadona illustrates how mimetic theory explains viral phenomena in social networks, highlighting how trivial symbols, such as a pineapple, are transformed into acts of interpersonal communication. This study combines data analysis and natural language, showing how digital culture redefines social norms and commercial perceptions.

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Author Biographies

Mª del Carmen Paradinas Márquez, ESIC University; ESIC Business & Marketing School

Law Degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (1996). Master's Degree in Human Resources Management and Labor Relations from Universidad Camilo José Cela de Madrid (2016) and PhD in Tourism from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos de Madrid with Cum Laude mention (2021). One six-year term. Lawyer with more than 20 years of professional practice. Mediator. Lecturer at ESIC University in the Departments of Humanities and Business Management. She teaches History of Spanish Institutions and various subjects of Law (civil, commercial and labor) in Official Degrees, as well as social and labor relations and conflict management in the Master's Degree in People Management and Organizational Development and in the MBA. Director of the academic department of external internships and Vice-rector of Quality.

Cristina Marín Palacios, ESIC University

Associate Professor PhD accredited by ANECA in Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business, with a six-year research period. Degree in Mathematics (UCM), PhD in Business Economics (URJC), Master in Computer Science and Technology (UC3M) and in Business Management (URJC). My research deals with data analysis and mathematical models applied to ethics, social behavior, gender, disability, employment, and education in marketing and economics. Currently, professor of Computer Science in Artificial Intelligence at ESIC University and director of the academic department of Computer Science and New Technologies at ESIC University.

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