Using humor in advertising is often tricky. Get it right, and your ad could become a sensation—loved, shared, and talked about by people everywhere. It’s the kind of success that marketers dream of, where humor connects your brand to the audience on a personal level.
But there’s always a risk involved. If your joke offends your audience, the backlash can be swift and unforgiving. Suddenly, you’re not just dealing with a failed ad but a potential crisis for your brand image and customer relationships.
So, how do you harness humor to make your brand shine without causing a stir? Stick around to learn the secrets behind crafting funny digital ads in all the right ways.
The role of humor in advertising
Humor in advertising is all about using comedy to get people interested in what you’re selling. It’s a way to connect with your audience, making your brand feel more relatable, shareable, and fun. But why does it work so well?
Makes your brand stand out
Humor helps grab attention. Many people automatically tune ads out, whether online banner ads or TV commercials. But a funny ad can break through that indifference, encouraging people to take notice of your brand and its offerings.
Creates a positive emotional connection
Funny ads also make people feel good. Laughing releases endorphins, boosting positive emotions and creating a pleasant association with your brand. This makes people more likely to remember your ads and develop an emotional connection with your company. It’s the secret to effective brand building and customer loyalty.
Increases the chances of going viral
Another big plus of humor is that it encourages sharing. Just think about how often you’ve shared a funny video or meme with friends. If your ad is humorous, people are more likely to share it widely on social media platforms. Such user-generated content helps your message spread without any extra cost or effort from you.
How humorous ads can go wrong
Humorous ads can grab attention and engage audiences in ways other ads can’t. But trying to be funny can sometimes go wrong and cause problems for your brand. Here are some things to watch out for.
Humor potentially being taken the wrong way
One of the biggest risks of using humor in ads is that it can easily be taken the wrong way. Humor is highly personal, and what people find funny depends on their culture, social background, and personal taste. Sometimes, what’s meant as a lighthearted joke might not get the laughs you hoped for or could even offend some people. This can hurt your brand’s image and alienate parts of your audience.
Risk of detracting from what you’re advertising
Another issue is the risk that the comedy will distract your target audience from the product or service you’re trying to sell. The main point of your ad is to get people interested in what you’re offering. You want humor to enhance your message, not steal the show.
Possibility of a short-lived marketing impact
A funny ad might get a lot of attention fast, but that buzz can also fade quickly. Unless your ad goes viral, people might forget about your ad once the novelty wears off. This usually happens when brands focus too much on humor alone, resulting in the comedy overshadowing your marketing message.
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Funny ad examples that made a lasting impression
When mastering the art of humorous advertising, it pays to take notes from those who’ve aced it. While you’ll want to bring your own flair to the table, studying their approach can set you on the right path. Let’s look at some examples of funny ads that hit the mark.
GEICO
GEICO is all about simplifying car insurance, and it has found fun ways to share that message by putting several unlikely characters in absurd situations. A gecko as an insurance spokesperson? A camel excited about hump day? Cavemen navigating modern life? These scenarios are as unexpected as they are amusing.
Plus, the characters use clever jokes and witty dialogue, adding to the entertainment. Who can forget the line, “So easy, a caveman could do it,” and the uproar it caused among the modern-day cavemen? Or how about the cheeky gecko promising you savings so simple even he’s impressed?
Skittles
Skittles ads are anything but ordinary, injecting as much flavor into life as its candies do. The fantastical scenarios defy all logic, grabbing viewers’ attention and leaving them curious for more. If you’ve ever caught one of these rainbow-themed ads, chances are they left a lasting impression.
Some are tragically hilarious, like the man with the “Skittles touch,” who finds everything he touches turns into Skittles. Others are simply bizarre, featuring an opera-singing rabbit, goat-boy hybrids, or a cloud walking on a leash. All are unforgettable glimpses into effectively captivating an audience with creativity and humor.
Old Spice
Old Spice ads present its body spray and other grooming products as the top choice for men, aiming to boost their appeal and masculinity. This happens through funny, exaggerated scenarios featuring Isaiah Mustafa and Terry Crews.
Mustafa’s ads tell ladies their men can smell as great as he does with Old Spice, using fun scene changes to make his point. Crews’s ads show him doing wild stunts to highlight the grooming products’ intense effect.
The ads might seem daring with their jokes, but they’re not offensive. That’s because each ad uses humor to highlight the obviously exaggerated benefits of using Old Spice products without demeaning any group.
Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club’s ads also use humor but in a more direct and relatable way. Instead of diving into the totally absurd, these ads focus on real problems, like how annoying and expensive it is to buy razors in-store.
Their most famous ad has the CEO walking through their warehouse, making jokes about how good and affordable their razors are. The mix of humor, real talk, and showing off silly moments, such as riding a wagon like a train, make for a truly effective advertisement. It instantly highlighted how well the brand understands its customers and caters to their needs.
Tips for adding humor to your advertising campaigns
Now that you’ve seen a few examples that have worked famously, it’s time to explore some essential tips for using humor in your own advertising campaigns. Whether you’re aiming to improve brand positioning or connect with your audience in a lighthearted way, these tips will help you get started.
Be mindful of cultural sensitivities
Different cultures have varying norms, values, and taboos. This means what’s considered funny in one culture might be offensive or inappropriate in another. You need to be extra mindful of these differences to avoid going viral for the wrong reason.
Some things to keep in mind when creating funny ads:
- Don’t portray people in a way that reinforces stereotypes based on race, gender, disability, or any other characteristics.
- Only use cultural references in your ads if you’re sure they’re respectful and understandable to everyone.
- Avoid sensitive topics like politics, religion, tragedy, or anything that might upset people.
- Be mindful of word meaning differences, especially when translating ads into different languages.
If you’re unsure how a joke will perform, it’s best to leave it out entirely. You might even need to return to the drawing board and take a different approach to your ad.
Stay true to your brand identity
Your brand identity should shape how you use humor in ads. Otherwise, the off-brand humor might confuse your audience and weaken your message.
If you haven’t already, define your brand’s personality, values, and tone of voice. Then, make sure your humor matches. For instance, if your brand is bold and adventurous, go for equally daring humor, like slapstick comedy.
But, if humor feels forced, it’s better to skip it. In some industries, like healthcare or finance, humor can come off as fake or flop entirely. So, keep your message clear and simple instead.
Choose your comedic style wisely
When picking the comedic style for your ads, think about what fits your brand and what your customers would like.
Here are some styles to consider:
- Puns and wordplay: Clever plays on words, puns, and double entendres can show off your brand’s witty side. For example, a raisin snack bar ad might say, “We’re ‘raisin’ the bar for deliciousness!”
- Observational humor: Finding humor in everyday situations makes your brand feel more down-to-earth and in tune with your audience. You can see this style of humor in the Dollar Shave Club ads.
- Slapstick comedy: Physical, over-the-top gags can add energy and excitement to your ads while making your products memorable in a fun way. For example, a pizza company’s ad might show a delivery person trip and send the pizza flying, only to have it land perfectly in the customer’s hands.
- Absurdist humor: Bizarre, nonsensical scenarios can surprise and entertain your audience. Skittles ads are a great example of absurdist humor, like its commercial with a man milking a giraffe as it grazes on a rainbow.
- Deadpan humor: Delivering jokes and absurd statements with a straight face can add an unexpected twist to your ads. For instance, in a smartphone commercial, the narrator might deadpan about the phone’s basic call feature as if it’s revolutionary.
Some types of comedy don’t work well in ads, like dark humor, which finds amusement in morbid or taboo subjects. Also, sarcasm or cynical humor can come off as negative. It’s better to avoid these unless they match your brand’s personality.
Keep the spotlight on your product
Humor is great for getting people’s attention and making your ad stick in their minds, but don’t let it take over completely. You want people to remember what you’re selling, not just the joke.
One way to do this is to use humor directly related to your product. If you’re advertising a new smartphone, you could show a funny situation that highlights the phone’s awesome camera or super long battery life. Tying the joke to your product’s features ensures the humor doesn’t overshadow the real star of the ad.
Another approach is to use humor as a setup for your product reveal. Start with a funny, attention-grabbing scene, but pivot back to your product and its benefits. Old Spice nails this by revealing its products at key moments during the spokesperson’s hilarious monologues.
Seek authentic collaborations
Partnering with comedians, actors, or influencers can take your humor to the next level and help you reach niche audiences. But it’s important to find collaborators who genuinely fit with your brand.
Look for people who already mesh well with your brand’s style. For example, if your brand has a silly personality, teaming up with a comedian known for dark, edgy humor might not be the best fit. Instead, look for someone who shares your playful, feel-good vibe.
The goal is a seamless and genuine collaboration, not like a cringy sponsored post. When the partnership clicks, it can be marketing magic, like when Snickers partnered with Betty White.
Test your humor with focus groups
To confirm that your ad’s humor hits the right note with your audience, testing it out with focus groups is a smart move. This process gives you a sneak peek at your ad’s potential in the real world, so don’t skip this step.
To run a focus group, gather 8-10 people who match your target audience profile. Also, assign a facilitator to run each session. Then, show the group your ad while recording their reactions. Afterward, the facilitator will gather more feedback and guide the discussion.
At the end, you will get notes, audio, and video to review. As you read the notes, watch the group’s reactions and listen to their comments to understand what will work and where to improve your ad. Repeat this process a few times with different groups of people, revising your ad in between if needed.
Build brand loyalty with humor in advertising
Are you ready to infuse your advertising with humor that hits just right? By embracing the power of laughter, you can create more effective ads, build deeper audience connections, and maybe even go viral. Just remember, the key is to strike the perfect balance by using clever and engaging humor without crossing the line.