Corporate doesn't have to mean boring
What’s the secret ingredient that allows big name corporate brands to connect with their customers?
Here’s a deeply shocking fact that will shake you to your very core: if you are being funny and interesting, people are more likely to listen to what you are saying.
Crazy, right? There’s just something about not being bored to tears that really works when it comes to communicating your message. Especially when that message boils down to “buy my stuff!”
So how does being utterly hilarious help your business?
Brands with personality charm their customers
According to Adam of White Label Comedy, being funny can make “every fact you throw at them twice as compelling – and twice as persuasive.”
He goes on to say: “A video packed with wit and warmth will keep the viewer entertained and engaged throughout, forcing them to focus on their pain points without realising it. In other words, entertaining video ads make easy sales.”
Exactly, Adam! Couldn’t have said it better myself (which is why I got you to do it).
By not being boring, you’re humanising and softening the ‘ask’ and giving your clients more value when they interact with your brand.
Who is the funniest brand out there right now?
When it comes to aiming for their customers’ funny bones, UK smoothie brand Innocent Drinks is right on target.
Their Twitter is a smorgasbord of joy with just a sprinkling of sales messaging. Whoever is running their feed is obviously having the best time and so is everyone reading, retweeting and liking their posts:
So daft. I love it.
They also use their feed as an opportunity to authentically and playfully interact with followers:
And it’s not just Twitter where Innocent Drinks stretch their comedic muscles. This December 2020 video is captivatingly timely and playful.
It seems their approach is certainly not hurting their turnover. In 2018, Innocent Drinks posted annual revenue growth of 22 per cent at almost £370m* before profits surged past £400m in 2019**
Use humour to manage tricky situations for your brand
Humour can be a brilliant tool to defuse tension, especially when that awkwardness might otherwise compromise your brand.
Look no further than the recent scuffle of the supermarkets over a humble caterpillar cake. M&S threatened legal action over Aldi’s Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake, which they believed infringed on their Colin the Caterpillar trademark.
Taking advantage of the sudden spotlight, Aldi took to Twitter to playfully respond to the drama:
M&S didn’t seem thrilled by the upsurge of support for Cuthbert, especially when Aldi shot back by suggesting they bury the hatchet and form an alliance to raise money for charity.
Regardless of the outcome, Aldi capitalised on the media attention and used humour to win over the Twitterverse and beyond, winning the popular vote (if not the legal one).
It’s not the first time Aldi have playfully pitched themselves against other supermarkets. Take this advert, for example:
It’s not a great look for spendier Sainsbury’s, but if Aldi hadn’t approached the comparison with a bit of humour then it wouldn’t be half as effective.
And of course, they avoid coming off as mean or bullish by following the golden rule of mickey-taking; pick on someone your own size.
Avoid info-dumping and focus on letting your corporate hair down
When huge corporate brands like Innocent Drinks decide to use humour as an integral part of their brand, it forces them to centre their relationship with the client in every communication.
To be funny is to please and pleasure (urgh, sorry) your audience. You’re far less likely to fall into the trap of info-dumping on your customer base.
It’s no use reeling off a load of information that will neither capture nor keep your audience's attention. As our friend Adam puts it: “A video packed with wit and warmth will keep the viewer entertained and engaged throughout.”
Why is now the time to give customers a giggle?
Look, I wasn’t going to mention the C-word but it needs to be said (plus if I didn’t, you’d be left wondering which C-word I mean).
Covid-19 (🙈) has been unimaginably tough on us all. We’re all fed up with Zooming, FaceTiming, and Google Meeting. As lockdown eases in the UK, the appetite for proper human connection is only growing stronger, and that goes for who we’re buying from too.
With post-lockdown shopping trips set to support economic rebound***, people are looking to spend. So give them a bloody good reason to consider spending with you – give them more than just “buy our stuff because it’s good”.
Stand out amongst your competition by giving them a giggle, and they’ll become your biggest fans!
And if you’re not sure how to tune into their funny bone then give us a call and we’ll be happy to give you some ideas.
Also if this tickles your interest then make sure you stay tuned for our next blog post coming soon because it features our brand new favourite amusing ad created by a brand you’d least expect 👊🏻