Matt Deck
Creative Director

Throughout my childhood, there were…let’s call them “incidents” that forced my long-suffering dad to repeatedly tell me, “there is a time to be funny, and a time not to be.” Times not to be funny included: the classroom, gym class, the hallway between the classroom and gym class, church services, my sister’s piano recitals—and of course, when my brand is engaging with consumers.

While I’m sure Dad would never intentionally steer me wrong, years of experience as a branding professional have shown me that he was a little off on that last one. Branding is the perfect time to be funny. It’s an opportunity to relate to your audience on a personal level and build powerful, personal connections. But don’t take my word for it.

In 2022, best-selling author and podcaster Gretchen Rubin, along with Oracle Fusion Cloud Customer Experience, interviewed 12,000 consumers and business leaders across 14 countries to assemble “The Happiness Report.” Here’s what the numbers had to say about humor:

When it comes to consumers,
  
    • 88% are looking for new experiences to make them smile or laugh.

    • 91% prefer brands to be funny (94% for Gen Z and Millennials).

    • 75% would follow a brand on social media channels if it’s funny.

    • 80% are more likely to buy from a brand that uses humor.

    • 72% would choose a humorous brand over the competition.

    • 63% would spend more with a humorous brand.

“But Matt,” you’re saying, “branding is a serious investment—seriously.” That’s fair, and you’re not alone. “The Happiness Report” also revealed these numbers for business leaders:

    • 95% fear using humor in customer interactions.

    • 85% say they do not have the data insights to confidently deliver humor to their customers.

So what have we learned so far? Humor is the table saw of the branding world. It is a powerful, effective tool, but it is scary to use. We can help with that. Here are a few tips to get you started:

READ THE ROOM
Humor should be tailored to your audience’s preferences, values and cultural context. It just so happens that BIG has a dedicated strategy team that uses customer and market analysis based on qualitative and quantitative research to uncover who your true audience is, what they are looking for and how they see your brand.  

STAY RELEVANT
Make sure that your humor aligns with your product, service or brand message. Even the most hilarious joke won’t help the audience connect with your brand if it doesn’t reflect your brand voice, tone or messaging. For example, if your brand tone is confident and professional, you may want to avoid corny or slapstick humor, leaning more toward smart, subtle humor.

KEEP IT SIMPLE
Your humor should support the messaging, not overshadow or distract from it. If your joke requires a complex setup, or is too abstract, you risk confusing or alienating your audience. The simpler and more relatable your humor, the better chance it has of landing with your audience the way you intended.

LEVERAGE TIMING AND SURPRISE
Good humor relies on an element of surprise or clever timing to capture attention. A well-executed punchline or unexpected twist creates the smile or laugh that audiences want to experience. Be aware that loud, heavy-handed humor can easily overwhelm your messaging, and may turn your audience off.

So there you have it. Definitive proof that humor works, and the tips you need to give it a whirl. If you’re still nervous, or just don’t want to do it yourself, BIG is ready for a little funny business—seriously.