As a small business, it’s hard to stand out in what can often be a crowded field of competitors. And getting potential customers or clients to simply pay attention to your marketing may be the single biggest hurdle. If you’re willing – and this is where companies can get really creative – you can use humor to accomplish this.

But as the saying goes, being funny is a serious business. It takes real effort and a lot of understanding about your customers to come up with something that’s both humorous and impactful for your brand.  

If you’re going to go down this road, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

No. 1: Make Sure Any Humor Fits Your Brand

Humor isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy, and not every brand should incorporate it into their marketing approach. The first step is to evaluate whether humor aligns with your brand identity and values. In other words, does the brand narrative you want to support allow for being funny in the first place? It’s perfectly OK to concede that you may be in a more serious industry, which doesn’t have room for laughter when it comes to marketing.

The point is, you have to know your target audience and the nature of the products or services you’re selling. For example, a business consultant may find it challenging to use humor in his or her marketing, as the profession itself demands portraying a level of authority, purpose, and/or performance. On the other hand, a retailer aiming at everyday consumers might strike gold using something funny.

Cases where humor may not be appropriate include:

• • Sensitive Topics: Generally, avoid making light of issues that are sensitive or offensive, such as social, cultural, religious, or political controversies unless your brand is really “all-in” on such topics to start with.
  • Serious Industries: Some industries, like consulting, finance, healthcare, or legal services, may require a more serious and professional tone.
  • Where There Is a Risk of Misinterpretation: If there’s a possibility that your humor might be misinterpreted and potentially alienate a good chunk of your potential customers or clients, it’s better to err on the side of caution.

No. 2: Know What Makes Something Funny

If you ask most comics or study them, the core of what makes something funny is being really creative around some shared understanding. What do we mean by that? First, think about creativity for a second. Creativity is basically taking something that’s known, and twisting it slightly so that you end up making something different (but through which you can still see that “original thing” in your new creation). For humor, this means taking a concept or idea your audience knows well or some common beliefs that are shared but turning that thing on its head. What makes it funny is that everyone understands the underlying beliefs.

Here’s an example. The other day I told my BMW joke to my marketing class. Wanna hear it?

“What’s the difference between a BMW and a porcupine?” I asked the class.

The class said: “What?”

I said: “With a BMW, the pricks are on the inside.”

Half the class laughed, the Americans. But many of the class I teach are students from overseas. They didn’t laugh. And the reason they didn’t is probably not so much due to the language difference (though there is some of that), it’s probably more about the shared understanding of how BMW drivers here in the U.S. can be aggressive, and frankly pricks. 😊

Hence, at its core, humor is about shared knowledge. Whether that’s a clever turn of phrases, an unexpected twist, or concepts that slightly deviate from common understanding, it can all elicit the response you want – a customer paying more attention to you.

In a practical way, how do you carry off humor in your marketing?  

• • Clever Turns of Phrases: Wordplay, puns, and clever language use can add a layer of sophistication to your humor. These linguistic devices not only entertain but also demonstrate creativity, capturing the attention of your audience. For example, how about Dollar Shave’s one-time slogan: Shave Time, Shave Money (a play on “Save Time, Save Money”).
  • Surprise and Deviation: Humor often arises from surprise or deviation from the expected. Whether it’s an unexpected punchline, a twist in the narrative, or a play on stereotypes, deviation from the norm can catch your audience off guard and evoke genuine amusement. Example: How about the Snickers’ Betty White commercial that ran during the Super Bowl a few years ago, part of the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign.
  • Funny/Clever Visuals: Great visuals often connect that shared understanding between people. We love this example from Nescafe, which combined a coffee cup with an alarm clock – obviously a shared sense of how coffee helps to wake customers up in the morning.