Knock, Knock. Who's There?

Using humor in your advertising

Most of us like a good laugh. We want to be entertained. While there are several approaches to create advertising, humor often gets people talking. Think about the Super Bowl commercials that have become an anticipated attraction beyond the game itself. Adding humor to your marketing can increase brand awareness. Here are a few ways you can leave your customers laughing.

Get a sense of humor

When you use humor in advertising, you’re typically creating brand awareness and buzz for your business. So you need to understand your brand essence. This is the heart and soul of your brand. It’s what makes you think of Disney as “family fun entertainment,” or Hallmark as “caring shared.” Your advertising efforts—and your humor—should reflect the emotional connection you want your customers to have with your business.

Ruffle some feathers

You've figured out your personality, now you need to know your audience. Comedy is a risky business. There’s a fine line between humorous and offensive. But you can’t play it safe if you want the buzz. Understanding your audience will help you determine how close to the line you can go. Humor in advertising usually provokes attention so expect the phone to ring. If you’ve done your job, the majority of calls will be for more sales.

Make me laugh

Ask any comedian. Comedy is no easy business. You can leave them laughing or completely tank. You may want to turn to a professional copywriter to help you set the right tone for your business. Consider testing your marketing with some of your current customers before sending it out into the world.
 
Humor in advertising can be employed in any medium, whether it is direct mail or radio. Social media is a great platform to test out your humor. Most people visit social media sites to be entertained so get out there and knock ‘em dead.