Frank: Everybody likes to laugh. But we all laugh at different things. What one person thinks is funny, others may not.
Michael: Nobody thinks those shorts are funny anymore.
Kristin: I know. What an asshole.
Frank: Subjectivity aside, humor in advertising has exploded. Nearly one in five TV commercials is funny. There's a number of reasons for this. But humorous ads have some of the highest retention rates out there. But for every funny ad that you've watched, re-watched and shared, how many of those can you successfully identify the product being sold?
MacLaine: Hello ladies. Look at your man, now look at me. Now look at your man, now back to me. Sadly, he isn't me.
Greg: Guess what day it is? Mike, Mike, Mike. Guess what day it is Mike. Leslie, guess what day it is. Hump day.
Kathy: Frank, this spot really isn't meant to be funny. I just don't think it's going to work for this week's episode.
Frank: Ah, come on Kathy. Help me up. My hips are shot.
Frank Funny ads deliver better on brand awareness and likability, and most funny ads replace relevant information with humor. What this tells us is that we should be using funny higher up in our sales funnel, and it should be part of a big picture, holistic strategy. The real sweet spot according to Ace Metrix's CEO, Peter Daboll, is to be funny, relevant and informative. The punch line should be a magnification of something relevant to your brand, not just 30 seconds of random, cheap laughs.
Greg: Ehh.
Ben: Johnson life insurance. Trust us with your most important decisions.
Frank: So it's not just about when to be funny, a big question brands have is whether or not to use humor at all. A big deterrent, funny is hard. It's not for everybody so don't force it. But like any craft, you can get funnier with practice.
Frank Mushroom walks into a bar. Bartender says, "We don't serve your kind around here." He says, "Why not? I'm a Fungi." (Crickets)
Frank All right. How's this?
Frank We've found that even when our client – or our bosses – rejects a funny idea, the process that it took us to get there creates a fun, collaborative, and creative workplace. Just imagine how good it would feel to go to a place every morning where you get to work on funny videos all day.
Greg: Haha, always room for Jello. Refrigerate 4 hours?
Episode 9 -
Does Funny Sell?
Humor can be an effective way to build a brand and convert consumers -- if used properly. Like a swift kick to the groin, comedy in advertising can be a barrel of laughs or a truly painful experience, depending on how (and to whom) it’s delivered. Join us as we consider the right ways to make funny sell.
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