Humor in Advertising

0

(By Lisa Orkin) There has never been a better time for humor in advertising. I know what you’re thinking…we’re in the middle of a pandemic, the economy’s tanking.

Exactly.

Listeners need an escape during uncertain times and people have been using humor since the beginning of time. There is a direct line from humorous cave paintings to Shakespeare’s comedies to the Geico lizard.

Now, I know your clients may be hesitant to use humor in the current climate.  I get it. Humor can be a hard sell even in the best of times.

But, there is science to support the idea that laughter is great medicine for life’s woes and for creating compelling advertising.  There have been a number of studies commissioned by advertising groups and carried out by independent research firms revealing how humor in media—radio, TV, print publishing—brings attention to ad messaging, enhancing comprehension and subsequent recall.

Laughter releases endorphins … the feel good hormone. And we want our listeners to feel good.

So, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  1. Humor is subjective.  That’s what makes comedy difficult….but if it’s coming from a relatable place and makes you laugh, it will probably make your audience laugh too.
  2. Keep it simple.  Once you’ve done your brainstorming and found that emotional connection between your product and consumer, find a single, simple premise that hits that mark.
  3. We don’t want to remember the gag instead of the product or service.  Our purpose is to create actionable advertising.  We fail otherwise. Remember your objective.
  4. And humor should not be used for humor’s sake, but rather be organically related to the product or service. In other words, let humor emerge from the problem that suggests a need for the product or service.

For instance, we once wrote a spot for an online obituary service. In it, two sisters were having a difficult time deciding where to place their grandmother’s obituary. Fearing that Grandma (who was always thrifty) would come back to haunt them if they spent too much money, they bought the less expensive online obituary only to have the ghost of Grandma come back and thank them.

All that being said, there are many different kinds of humor, like broad pie in the face, witty wordplay, sweet poignant humor… to name a few. The key is to pick the tone that fits your client’s customers. But if you keep the emotional connection in mind, the tone will be there organically.

So, bring in the laughter and entertain your listeners. They will appreciate it, and appreciate you for brightening their day.

Lisa Orkin is the Creative Director and Owner of the award-winning Radio Ranch (lisaorkincreative.com). She has over 20 years experience in producing both traditional and digital media. She is on the board of the Outliers Podcast Festival and is a sought after speaker in the worlds of podcasting and radio. 

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here