The Humour Wave

Peppa Pig, courtesy of "Fiery Angel"

I saw the Peppa Pig ad, forwarded by the show’s producer Edward Snape, on Facebook. And it got me thinking that with the power of social media in advertising and popularity of humour with it’s target audience, we really are going through a humour wave with marketing. And by “humour wave” I don’t mean a two fingered salute. 

Dale Carnegie, a legend in the marketing world said, "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." In today's absurdly crowded market  where the average American is exposed to a staggering 4,000 to 10,000 ads each day, using humour has become a go-to strategy for grabbing attention and making connections.

Of course humour in marketing is hardly new. In Roman times, inscriptions on amphorae sometimes contained witty remarks or outrageously funny (and possibly illegal) images, helping merchants to help make their products stand out to buyers. While in 1916, Planters famously introduced Mr Peanut – a sort of vaudeville half nut - half man character that become the face of the world’s biggest peanut brand. And of course Coca-Cola's early ads, often featured funny playful scenarios to engage. 

If we fast forward to now, then humour in marketing is having a major comeback, but with a fresh twist. Social media and digital platforms are amazing at using comedy to help brands connect with consumers. Greggs' Twitter feed has loads of  playful banter that keeps followers entertained and crucially, loyal. Aldi's "Like Brands. Only Cheaper" campaign cleverly compares their products to pricier brands with a comedy twist.  There are countless others but they all show how humour helps brands build incredibly strong engagement.

For me though, perhaps the most important story in all this is how humour changes how people perceive a brand. It makes brands feel more human and approachable. When a brand makes you laugh or smile, it creates a very human connection. Plus, research suggests that we’re far more likely to remember a funny ad or social media post than a serious one. 

Old Spice had to put it mildly, a massive image problem in the early 2000s – cheap, out of date, cringy and old school macho. In 2010 they went through a massive rebrand with the launch of the very funny "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign https://youtu.be/uLTIowBF0kE , created by the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy. And here’s where this really matters: according to Nielsen data, Old Spice saw a 125% increase in sales in the month following the launch of the campaign​! Which reminds me of a piece of data from Stanford, which says that “buyers are willing to pay 18% more if the seller tells a joke.” Humour sells. 

Humour helps your brand stand out in a crowded market. In industries where products are pretty similar, a funny campaign sets you apart. Remember Cadbury's "Gorilla" ad? The one with the gorilla drumming to Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight"? It was a huge hit. https://youtu.be/Dhg_rjpvtME. When humour matches a brand's vibe and values, it’s a game-changer.

So, if you're a marketer looking to use more humour, here’s three tips:

First, know your audience. Humour is subjective, and what's funny to one group might not be to another. So the Peppa Pig ad is perfectly pitched. Not for the 3- 5 year olds who will be seeing the show, and who in my experience have limited interest in general elections, but to the parents who will do the actual buying of the tickets. However saying that, when brainstorming humour, do stuff that you find funny. Once you’ve fine tuned your best ideas that’s the time to run them past other people. The you have to be honest with yourself – if they don’t laugh it’s not funny. Move on!

Second, be authentic. In other words remove the “cheese” factor. Forced humour can come off as fake and might actually put people off. Again full marks to Peppa.

Third, timely relevant humour boosts engagement (triple wowser for Peppa tying in the general election), just avoid causing offence. And no it really isn’t so hard. First come up with the humour, then run your ideas past a few of the team. If people don’t laugh or feel it’s potentially offensive, then choose another idea. Think collegiate bringing people together type humour. 

In the end, humour is a powerful tool in the ever-changing world of marketing. Ready to add some laughs to your marketing campaigns and make your brand stand out? How will you use the power of laughter to create unforgettable experiences for your audience? The humour wave is here – catch it and watch your brand soar.