Mediaboss Marketing

May 13, 2017 at 8:06 pm | Print View

Having a sense of humor can help your brand standout exponentially. Nothing delivers connection and meaning faster than making someone laugh.

As comedian Louis CK notes, The goal of comedy is to just laugh, which is a really high-hearted thing, (about) visceral connection and reaction.

In addition to comedy, C.K. knows a thing or two about branding and marketing. Advertising Age ranked him at the top of their Digital A-List in 2012 for rethinking how artists interact with their fans. A recent Nielsen study found that 47 percent of global respondents said that humorous ads resonated the most.

Why Humor Helps

For scrappy businesses, Humor can help you stand out in a crowded world, says Tim Washer, creative director at Cisco. In this role, Washer produces hilarious videos for the B2B software brand including a popular ad introducing a new server as the ideal Valentines Day gift. (Nothing says I love you like six times the mobile backhaul capacity.)

In rolling out their new mail-order service, Dollar Shave Club needed to cut through the clutter of the billion-dollar razor industry. They did so with a hilarious 90-second video that offers a mix of on-target product benefits conveyed in a distinct brand voice.

Forty-eight hours after the videos debut on YouTube, Dollar Shave Club was laughing all the way to the bank with 12,000 people signed up for their service.

Theres no limit to who can use humor. You arent bound by size, industry, budget or any other constraint. So how do you get started?

Start with the Right People

BarkBox has a lot of fun with their marketing. For an example, check out their posts on #HumpDay which takes on new meaning when your business is dog products. So how do they do it?

I dont find myself to be the funniest person in the room. But because of that, Ive only hired people on my team who are genuinely funny, says Stacie Grissom, Bark & Cos editor-in-chief. Humor is something that needs to come naturally. And if it doesnt come naturally to you find someone to help you out.

Create a role like Cisco did or simply hire for humor. Bottom line surround yourself with the right people.

How to Tell Funny (Brand) Stories

Most comedy tells stories. As such, many of those same story elements are critical in telling a funny story for your brand.

l Plot Kurt Vonnegut famously called them story shapes but ultimately there are only a few different common plots out there. What kind of story are you trying to tell?

l Character Your main character shouldnt be your brand it should be about your audience.

l Conflict Most comedy comes from pain. In many cases your customers are in pain and you can help them. Humor allows you to explore this by casting pain in a comedic light.

We werent laughing at the Wheres the beef? lady in the Wendys ads. We were laughing with her at the sad state of the fast-food hamburger.

l Voice Humor has to fit your brand voice. For years, Charmin embraced a family friendly voice in talking about bathroom business. Thats why they regularly use scatological puns and the hashtag #tweetfromtheseat to weigh in on current events and pop culture but still in a G-rated context.

I dont think theres any brand that shouldnt be funny, says Eric Munn of Onion Labs, the content services division of the venerable comedy brand, The Onion, which works with brands such as Audi, Bacardi, and Overstock to create engaging and humorous content on their platforms.

Surround yourself with funny people and use the tools of storytelling archetypes, characters, conflict and voice to find a way of embracing humor that fits for your brand. Go forth and be funny!

l Nick Westergaard is founder of Brand Driven Digital; nick@westergaard.com; @NickWestergaard

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