Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” It’s been proven that not only is laughter healing, it’s in our nature to laugh or find things to laugh at. Marketers and content creators have been utilizing this, understanding the consumers’ need to look at something funny. But here’s the thing, humor seldom becomes a big hit, because it has to translate well across borders, which is a feat in itself with the complications of language and varying cultures all over the world.
Comedy in marketing, when done well, is still a powerful tool especially when you leverage what’s supposed to be a weakness. Tapping into your specific audience and what they’d potentially laugh about could be a great strength for your marketing campaign. Stand-up comedian, keynote speaker, and marketing specialist Tim Washer urged brands to not take themselves seriously in a talk, saying that comedy is a great way to put your point across.
Rebuilding Connections with Humor with Tim Washer
Why Humor Works
We’ve already established that humor is a great way to drive your marketing campaign, and that adding a bit of lightheartedness in your branding is effective. But why exactly does humor in marketing work?
- Effective marketing is memorable and noticeable. Humor in marketing even establishes connection between brand and consumer.
- There’s research that claims humorous material is more memorable than non-humorous material, and this is because we tend to notice funny things, therefore we remember humorous ads and content more.
Tips on Creating Funny Video Content
If your marketing campaign involves video content, consider making funny but impactful videos, and you’re sure to win over your audience. Here are three tips you can get behind as you create your marketing campaign:
Keep it Simple
After creating a draft, be it a novel, a short story, a writeup or your campaign, going through a convoluted content to streamline your it into something more much simpler makes for content. Today’s audience has been demanding authenticity, and in humor, less is definitely more. Simple packs a punch, and it lingers more in the minds of your audience.
This ad by Frito-Lay featuring some music artists’ voices packs a punch because it’s simple but gets to the point.
Create for Your Audience
It’s easy to get lost in the fray when writing something funny for your campaign. We often start thinking about what’s funny to us instead of what could be funny to our audience. We as marketers have to remember empathy whenever we create.
Don’t Think Funny
Humor is Human, according to an article from Native Advertising Institute. Comedy eases us and breaks down our walls, it lowers our inhibitions for making connections. When writing your funny content, don’t focus on the jokes, but what the laughter is supposed to accomplish. Remember the very human and very mundane situations that we get into and how these moments of laughter teach us a lesson or two– or how you can demonstrate that in your video content.
This 2015 ad by Snickers is relatable to audiences
If you’re ready to incorporate humor into your marketing campaign, these three tips can be your basic go-to notes for how to approach comedy in your campaign. As you attempt funny content for your brand, remember that not only are you trying to endorse your product or your brand, you’re trying to make someone smile, or laugh.
If marketing isn’t your forte and you’d like the help of a professional to help, Sidekicks is an on-demand virtual company and we’re eager to help visionaries and entrepreneurs like you. Get a free ebook and learn more about how we can help you by signing up to our newsletter. If you prefer something more personal, we also offer a free 30-minute consultation.
