Can fun and laughter be the key to successful video content?
When you’re selling to a client, does sprinkling in a little humour to break the ice make sense to you?
And if someone was talking to you about their product or service and they (prepare yourselves, now) cracked a well-observed joke, would you be cool with it?
I’m going to go ahead and assume that the answer to both of these questions is: “Yes, obviously, Katie.”
I’m also going to pretend I heard you say: “Why are you asking me this, Katie? It sounds ever so interesting, please do elaborate,” because - funnily enough - we’re about to discover why using humour in your corporate video content can be such a powerful selling tool.
Sell your brand with entertaining videos
Using humour and entertainment to sell your product, service, or even a mere idea is not a new concept. If used well, it can be as impossible to ignore as the mighty Thor wielding his trusty Mjolnir in battle. Wonderful…😊
So, why does it work again?
Confidence, not arrogance
With a video that uses humour to sell something, you’ve got more opportunity to be direct and bold with your message. You can tell everyone you are the absolute BEST at what you do because the humour keeps it humble. You can sound confident without spilling over into arrogant.
Subverting expectations
When you boil it down, a joke is tension being released. When a comedian tells a funny story they create the setup, deliver the punchline, and release the tension through laughter. The punchline is a subversion of what we, as an audience are expecting. When a product or brand uses a punchline to subvert our expectations, we’re suddenly an active participant in a joke rather than a passive observer.
Shareability
If your video is as entertaining as this, you know people are going to want to share it (I found this making the rounds on Facebook, for goodness sake!)
When you come across a brand-produced video, you’re more likely to share it if it’s funny. For the brand or product, it makes for super effective advertising and they also become a talking point.
Lasting impact
A humorous video is a fresh, engaging approach to grabbing folks by the eyeballs and using their funny bone to hold them to ransom. People typically don’t like being told what to like or how something unfamiliar works - use playfulness and charisma to convince and educate them in a really authentic, memorable way.
It’s just got balls alright?
Now I love both GoDaddy and this adorable vegan pie shop, plus I can actually patronise this vendor (sorry, Dollar Shave Club, no beard to speak of here).
For me, if a company or brand uses humour in their videos, I instantly gain way more respect for them and my wallet’s wide open. It’s big, it’s bold, it’s...ballsy.
So what’s the risk in using humour for corporate videos?
If you’re selling to a premium market, an informal tone might not feel like the way to go. But you’d be surprised how playfulness and very subtle humour can still suit even the grandest of brands.
Companies of any size can fall into the trap of making assumptions about their target audience.
They may be concerned that playfulness could compromise the perception of their product’s quality, damaging the relationship with their customers.
Basically what you’re saying is I should give it a go?
Hells yeah, buddy‼️
These are valid concerns but the fact remains that done right, humour can be an explosive, super-effective way of shaking up an audience and selling your brand.
Plus with so many other brands sleeping on these possibilities, it gives those brave enough to try using it an entirely new edge: standing out from the crowd.
Want to start experimenting with humour in your brand? I’ve heard that there’s a fabulous corporate video creator whose name begins with “N” and ends in “imble Film Chick” and happens to be remarkably skilled in the art of finding your audience’s funny bone 👊🏻