Did you watch the Super Bowl? Did you watch the ads that have become just as competitive as the players on the teams?
If you did, you’ll have noticed that most of the ads are funny, or at least try to be. A few may be dramatic and try to tug at our heartstrings, but most are light and try to make us laugh.
An all-time classic (though not run during this year’s game) was when the little boy dressed as Darth Vader tried to magically start hid dad’s car…which his dad did with a remote control from far away!
The point here, of course, is whether you should try humor in your marketing, and that’s where things get dicey. Politicians, for example, are generally counseled by their communications experts to never, EVER, try to tell a joke. They just don’t work.
And there a strong school of thought that stand-up comedy is simply the hardest form of art there is.
But…no risk, no reward and it is possible that humor could set you apart…and isn’t that what niche marketing is all about? Then again, in today’s world of perpetual faux outrage about every little thing, the risks may be higher than ever.
If you have an office dog or cat, perhaps they deserve a prominent place on your website, perhaps wearing the appropriate outfit. That may be more “fun” than “funny,” but you get the point.
Maybe a Picture of You Sweating Like a Mule?
Maybe you have a picture of movers trying to get a sofa through doors that are way too narrow. That would speak to the value of a designer who might have actually though to measure that!
Maybe you have a self-deprecating photo that would “counter program” what people normally expect to see on an interior design site. Maybe it’s you sweating like a mule in a work-shirt and hard hat while trying to help a cabinet maker by holding a board in place during a build-out.
I have to say that humor’s not really my forte, other than some occasional sarcasm during my speeches or online courses, especially when I have easy targets like accountants! There is one joke I used to repeat every time I spoke to a groups of designers. I must have told it 30 separate times, and as the comedians like to say, it always “killed!” I’ll share it with you here:
Lady: (Couple hurries into a dentist office and the woman sees the dentist behind the counter.) “Oh Dr. Jones, thank goodness you’re here. We’re on our way to the airport for our European vacation, but I’ve got a tooth that has to come out.”
Dentist: “Well, that would take some time…it takes time just for the Novocaine to take effect.”
Lady: “No! I don’t care about the pain. I am not missing this trip…just yank the damn thing out!”
Dentist: “Okay…well…I admire your courage. Can I see the tooth?”
Lady: “Sure.” (Then turning to husband.) “Honey…show him your tooth.”
And there it is! My one joke. Let me know what yours is…
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