A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Your Marketing Plan

They say that laughter is the best medicine, but did you know that it can also be an awesome marketing strategy?

The ability to laugh at yourself means you don't take yourself too seriously, which contrary to popular belief, is great for business.

Why? Because it draws people in. It makes you relatable and human.

A Positive Spin

Businesses who find themselves in a bad PR situation have a few ways to respond:

1. Issue a public statement accepting responsibility, while making a clear plan for preventing the same issue from repeating itself in the future

2. Highlight past achievements to showcase the company's success

3. Get customers to talk about their satisfaction with the company’s product

Or, they can choose to use humor as a method of softening their approach. A funny response can turn a negative or embarrassing situation into a positive one.

Our Top 3 Favorites

#1

Cathay Pacific, the Hong-Kong-based airline, misspelled its own name on one of its aircraft. The company could have tried to keep its error quiet or simply issue a public apology. Instead, they tweeted a funny reply that had people talking, joking, and creating loads of internet memes. The company used humor to draw attention to its own mistake, people laughed, and eventually moved on.

The benefit of getting millions of people around the globe to talk about the company certainly didn’t hurt its popularity, either.

#2

Kotex created a funny video ad for a new product launch. The 2-minute video features a man in a grocery store aisle, awkwardly trying to buy a package of tampons for his girlfriend.

He sees so many options that he feels overwhelmed. He asks other customers for their advice and ends up getting more than he bargained for.

Kotex’s strategy was simply brilliant. They took a frustrating buying process and made it both funny and engaging. Customers got it because they often experience the same situation, and the brand showed that they understood their customers.

#3

What do you do when a competitor tries to knock you down a peg? You can staunchly defend your business, or you can use humor against them.

That’s exactly what Lemonade – the popular InsureTech startup – did when it found itself the victim of a competitor’s mocking ad. State Farm released a video scoffing companies who use AI.

This was an obvious reference to Lemonade, as the company utilizes AI and chatbots to create customized insurance policies for its customers.

In response, Lemonade did something totally original and unheard of. The company sponsored State Farm’s own video on multiple social networks. They paid money to show their competitor’s video, which drew even greater attention and made for a hilarious spin on a very public attack.

State Farm was made to look like a backyard bully, while Lemonade came out on top.

As you can see, humor and marketing can mesh together rather beautifully. This strategy makes a company approachable and totally in-touch with its customers.

Do this and you’ll have the last laugh.