Some say: Don’t even attempt incorporating humor into your marketing plan. It’s too subjective. Some might think it’s funny, others might be offended.
I say: Phooey
Who says a poop joke can’t be part of a marketing promotion?
Let’s look at the Poop Fairy campaign in the link above. It’s simple. It’s clever, kind of a potty joke but not too dirty. It elicits giggles if not laughter. Yeah, the Legend of the Poop Fairy might go a little too far (never overplay a joke). But the overall idea is great. It’s silly AND contains real education on dog waste and appeals to our sense of community as well.
Others say: You shouldn’t use humorous marketing ideas if you’re focused on selling or getting people to do something. It’s too likely to misfire rather than work as intended.
I say: Malarky!
Blendtec wants people to buy their blenders. So what do they do? They develop a hilarious campaign that SHOWS their blenders in action. Sales of Blendtec’s blenders have exploded out of the uh, blender, with its always entertaining Will it Blend web series. It’s goofy. It’s funny. Who wouldn’t want to see what happens when you put an iphone in a blender? Like I said, sales of Blendtec blenders are skyrocketing since the campaign launched several years ago.
Humor also works in B2B. IBM’s viral video Mainframe: The Art of the Sale, Lesson One is a good example of a clever way to promote your business while gently poking fun, as is a video I wrote for HP called the HP King of Cowbell. In this realm, the mockumentary approach really works well in that it’s easy and relatable to poke fun at the business environment. We can thank “The Office” TV show for that.
5 MORE reasons to add humor when promoting your brand:
– Breaks through the clutter
– Promotes customer loyalty
– Shows that you’re a confident company (willing to poke fun at yourself)
– Great way to spread a message (word-of-mouth marketing)
– Great way to make your message more receptive
Michigan-based Moosejaw has built a loyal following by with its outrageous marketing efforts, leveraging the company’s mail order catalog, website and branded blog, through its hilarious and nonsensical marketing vision executives call “The Madness.” Blogger Ralph Paglia profiles the company here “Humor Can Be Your Best Targeted Marketing Strategy.”
Data shows that people take action to follow experiences that make them laugh. Whether it works for your brand depends on your creative vision, the writing, and the needs and interests of your audience.