Marketing Humour: 7 Steps to Using Comedy Strategically

Comedy can be a shortcut to the human soul, but in marketing, it’s only half the story… Successful campaigns balance the art of humour with the science of strategy.” – Doug Busk

A gorilla is sitting in front of a drumkit. Its breath is heavy as Phil Collins’ beloved hit “In the Air Tonight” fills the darkened theatre. 

For eighty-eight of the next ninety seconds, there is no context, no logo, and no narrator delivering a message to distract us from the pure emotion of the moment. I hear clusters of nervous giggles break out in the audience as the song builds to its climax. The tension is palpable as we reach what is arguably the most satisfying drum fill ever performed. 

I believe much of my career in marketing and video production can be tied back to my decision to drive an hour into town to see the 2007 Cannes Lions winners at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. While brands like [Skittles], [Old Spice] and [Dollar Shave Club] receive much of the credit, I believe [this spot from Cadbury] marked a major shift in commercial advertising—a piece of entertainment people would seek out to watch again and again, just as YouTube was skyrocketing in popularity and viewing habits were irreversibly changing.

If it wasn’t clear from the title of this blog, I take comedy seriously. And I owe it all to that gorilla.

 

 

And while that Cadbury commercial is now nearly old enough to drink, their agency’s creative strategy is still considered at least two steps too far for the vast majority of brands. As inspiring as it was for me, this comedic, entertainment-first approach inspires a great deal of discomfort in marketing leaders. Aside from a small handful of agencies who pitch absurdist, celebrity-driven Super Bowl commercials (ironically, a trend that becomes less delightful with each passing year), these can be the most difficult concepts for clients to buy into. 

One of the things you realize about humour is how effective it is at breaking down barriers, at creating some kind of connection with people that [enables] you to move your message across that open channel.” – Andrew Robertson, BBDO Worldwide

In my experience, there are a few common sources of fear that hold brands back from embracing comedy strategically. 

The fear of harming your brand.  

This often takes the form of, “We work in X industry. We can’t make it seem like our product/service is a joke.” It’s true that for some specific industries, the opportunities for comedy are extremely limited, but that makes a comedic approach an even more powerful tool for standing out and capturing audience attention. More often than not, this stance comes from B2B clients who assume serious purchasing decisions start and end with facts and facts only. But the truth is, the creative opportunities are endless, as long as creative and strategy move in perfect alignment, much like the trucks in [Volvo’s Epic Split]—a campaign that received widespread media attention but was aimed at a relatively small group of B2B decision-makers. 

 

 

The fear of offending people.   

While this fear is more justified, it’s also important to clearly define it as a fear of certain styles of comedy that could be considered ‘edgy,’ ‘rude’ or [outwardly racist]. What’s much more challenging but essential for all brands is culture—maintaining a gauge of where it is and where it’s going, lest you produce an ad that’s [so-bad-it’s-funny.] Rather than hide from it, brands with a higher tolerance for risk continue to find new opportunities to use comedy as a tool to connect and [even empower]. 

The fear of falling flat. 

For anyone who has seen or delivered a bad wedding speech, this fear can be visceral. And it points to maybe the biggest reason why clients are hesitant to embrace comedy: it’s incredibly subjective. What’s more, sometimes what separates a great comedic campaign from a mediocre one is nuanced. It requires sharp writing, carefully considered performances and [a comedic style that fits well within the budget.] It’s natural for the stakes to feel much higher. 

1. What are the truths of your audience?  

Try to step outside of the everyday pressures of your role—or use this as an excuse to literally leave the office—to better imagine the common challenges, experiences, relatable quirks, likes and dislikes of your audience. First consider absolutely anything, regardless of whether it’s related to your brand. These insights can be either broad (Mondays, am I right?) or narrow (spray drift, am I right?) depending on how niche your audience’s experiences might be. 

2. How does your brand fit in, directly or indirectly? 

For the creative process, I recommend not thinking of this as a linear list. So, if question one doesn’t provide a creative spark, start here instead. Consider how your product or service fits into the life of your audience and try to rephrase these statements in a variety of ways, from highly specific (quenching their thirst) to abstract (washing away their cares and worries). This will provide fertile ground for storytelling as you start to see situations emerge between your brand, your audience and their experiences.  

3. What’s the message?  

If you’re able to find solid answers to the first two questions, you may find a clear message naturally beginning to emerge. Try to articulate this message in a variety of ways without worrying too much about final, approved copy. Write a paragraph, go on a tangent, and blurt out whatever is coming to mind. While this question is essential, it’s likely the last piece of the puzzle to be perfectly formed, so try and move forward with a statement that at least captures the essence of what you’re trying to say.  

Once these first three questions are answered, you have a foundation for a campaign that could go in an endless number of directions and styles. 

4. What if…?  

What if this was a horror, romance or science fiction story? What if we travelled back in time? See how exaggerated the situation could become by asking this question at least a dozen times. Creatively lazy agencies with comically large budgets usually inject celebrities into these situations. Instead, try to be clever with tried-and-true storytelling techniques, like raising the stakes or adding a dramatic twist. 

This is your opportunity to push an idea to the breaking point without any concern for budget or logistics, so try to think “blue sky” for now, then whittle down your options or adjust the scope later on. 

5. What style of humour best serves the story, budget and brand? 

This is incredibly nuanced and may be better answered by the strength of your idea, rather than a calculated decision that brings you to the result. Some of the factors you’ll need to keep in mind are audience tastes, how well established your brand may be, your willingness to change as well as your appetite for risk.  

 If you’re looking to take your brand in a new direction for the long-term, or if you’re factoring in several audiences or sub-brands, you’ll need to consider this question more carefully. As a north star, try to determine what overarching story you’re trying to tell about your brand that will continue to be true for years to come.  

6. Where does the comedy come from? 

What I refer to as The Golden Rule for comedic marketing is this: Never promote your business at the expense of your audience. This is a common mistake I see from brands and one that can be easily avoided with fresh thinking. Just take [this example from Bell] and one of their much-improved [newer commercials]. Stop to consider where the comedy is derived from, so you can assess whether or not it’s putting your brand at risk.  

If the comedy is rooted in truth (no matter how absurd and exaggerated this truth might be) and treats your audience as an equal, you are, at the very least, heading in a safe direction, which is all the more reason you should continuously revisit question four and come back to this one. 

7. What could we be missing?  

Now that you have a concept, it’s time to test it to ensure you’re striking the appropriate tone and your message is clearly understood. If you’re using comedy strategically to serve your brand, don’t skip this step. Even light, informal methods can yield important insights. But let me be clear: this kind of audience testing is not about making sure at least 5 out of 6 people achieve a medium chuckle; it’s about ensuring a misinterpretation isn’t going to sink your efforts and change the narrative you’ve so carefully constructed.  

Your work is hopefully going to be seen by your target audience and beyond, so try to find people both in and outside of your audience demographic. Provide a preview of your creative concept along with a simple question like, “In your opinion, what is this advertisement trying to say?” If you’re successful, your intent is clear and can’t be misconstrued. 

If brands are truly looking to make the world a better place, we could do a lot worse than make people laugh.”- Andrew Robertson, BBDO Worldwide

Now that you’ve made it this far, you might be wondering: why? Why go to all this effort? Why, despite the risks and discomfort, should you persist? 

Comedy works. 

As marketers, it is our responsibility to find humanity in our brands, with distinct styles of voice, both eye-catching and functional design, and engaging storytelling. That’s why we can’t ignore something as universal as laughter. Comedy strips away the artifice of our everyday lives to plainly reveal the truth, or it exaggerates the truth in unexpected but deeply relatable ways. 

Ultimately, comedy rewards your audience for paying attention.  

That’s why for brands looking to break through the noise and have their message truly heard, understood and remembered for 18 years or more, comedy is gold. 

For the Cadbury gorilla, the creative strategy was rooted in the thought that [“all communications should be as effortlessly enjoyable as eating the bar itself.”] 

This ridiculously simple idea marked the shift towards entertainment-first advertising, spread through strong word of mouth—or in my case, a theatre filled with thunderous applause.