4/13/2010
When Should a Company Be Funny in Marketing?
7 Times for Business Humor
- When producing video. People have come to expect a level of humor in business videos – probably because we’re so conditioned to passing around links to gut splitting videos in our personal lives. Companies have more room to amuse than in other types of marketing content.
- When funny writers are at hand. One thing worse than morbidly serious content is content that tries to be funny and fails. Don’t launch lead balloons.
- When everyone else is being serious. Many contend that humor is not appropriate for certain industries. What do you think? Going against the grain gets you noticed. An example I’ve cited frequently is New Pig. This firm succesfully brought a light touch to the previously ponderous world of industrial spill containment. Can you think of other examples?
- When blogging and engaging in social media. As with video, folks tend to cut you more slack in social media conversations and content. I wouldn’t write the way I’m writing now on one of Straight North’s SEO Services page, because the tone is all wrong. Reader expectations differ depending on context.
- When your material is drop dead dull. PowerPoint presentations, case studies, long copy of any kind, can be breeding grounds for boredom. Sprinkling in a cartoon or humorous anecdote here and there can make the difference between being understood and being ignored.
- When humor is directed at your own organization. Poking fun at competitors comes off as petty. Poking fun at customers comes off as insane (but I’ve seen company Web sites that do it). Poking fun at yourself can be endearing. Enough said.
- When all else fails. Being heard above the noise can be a daunting task. If your message seems to fall on deaf ears month in and month out, shake up your style. If you can’t win over customers with facts, maybe you can do it with smiles.
8 Responses to When Should a Company Be Funny in Marketing?
Brad, this is really helpful as I believe many writers/companies are afraid to bring humor into the business realm for fear it will fall flat. Admittedly, it is an art (which I know you have mastered) but when implemented by someone skilled it really does make a difference. Your points really were an “aha” as I had never quite organized the “when” in my own mind. Now, if only I was funny…
Hi, Thank you for your very honest comment – though I’m not sure I agree you can’t write funny (funnily?) it’s critically important for any writer to recognize his/her strengths and weaknesses. You have to set the ego aside or you can get yourself or your client in trouble. For instance, I’m not so hot at writing taglines. When I first started my entrepreneurial business, I’d take on tagline projects and the client was invariably disappointed. Then I found a great tagline writer to collaborate with, and we were in business! Companies writing their own content just have to be careful not to put things in the hands of someone who thinks he or she is funny, but really isn’t.
It’s a fine line, isn’t it? I’d never laugh at a client, but most of my blog is dedicated to poking fun at the kinds of mistakes they make (and are keen to avoid). And guess what? Some of my clients are my funniest commenters! What’s more, the work I’ve won through my blog has tended to be particularly satisfying because it allows people to recognise a kindred spirit.
I care deeply about clear English (I won’t say passionately, because that would be breaking one of my own rules). So if I didn’t use humour to express my ideas I’d sound like a right ranty old woman – not the sort of person you’d want to work with!
I’m sure you’ve probably seen it, Brad, but here’s my favourite example of humour used to market a business: http://www.ragan.com/ME2/Sites/Default.asp?SiteID=2DE73B54303942C4AC9E7EC3867DBF9E&Itemplay=D45E4B613C88490E9CD3DE0B4CB59D4D
Clare, Hilarious video – thank you for sharing. It makes me want to write up an About Us page for a client comparing their strategic acumen to chicken innards. Your point about humor as a softening agent is a good point to add to my list. People can take criticism better when, to mix a metaphor, it’s wrapped in a funny envelope.
Great article Brad! I completely agree with power points and dull documents or trainings needing a bit of humor. It lightens people up and they actually pay more attention.
I always thought humor in business is tricky. First of all because tastes vary tremendously, secon because it’s easy for things to go wrong. But it goes well with any industry! I remember a comic strip about a data security and ID theft threats that got a lot more coverage and interest than any serious press or product release
.-= Alina Popescu’s last blog ..Knowing what you can’t do is good for business =-.
Alina, People do indeed vary widely in terms of what strikes them as funny. I think that’s why comedic films have such a hard time drawing a wide audience. On the flip side, people widely share a sense of the tragic. King Lear appeals to just about anyone. There’s a lesson in there for business communication, but I haven’t quite figured out what it is!
.-= Brad Shorr’s last blog ..When Should a Company Be Funny in Marketing? =-.
Brad,
Generally, I would agree – if done well, humor serves to command attention and present a warmer, more human face to an organisation.
But a great deal of caution should be exercised in this regard, particularly given the magnitude of the potential consequences of comments which appear flippant or inappropriate. A few months ago, I read about an online firm who, due to a technical glitch, had (accidently) overcharged customers, in some cases to the tune of thousands of dollars. Rather than issue a straightforward apology, the firm in question decided to try to make light of the whole situation. The resultant blog post, which began with a great big picture of Homer Simpson and was titled ‘Oops!’ adopted an offhand manner and contained flippant remarks such as “The joke’s on you.” Needless to say, customers were not overly impressed and comments to the post were littered with aggravation about the casual attitude on the part of the company and promises to cease all forms of business with them.
.-= Andrew’s last blog ..Kraft’s broken promise =-.
Andrew, A very instructive case study. The gift of humor includes the ability to know when not to use it.
.-= Brad Shorr’s last blog ..When Should a Company Be Funny in Marketing? =-.