Incorporating Humour in Your Marketing Strategy for The Year

Did you know that ‘babies can laugh before they talk’? This simple fact is a testament to the universal language of laughter. Imagine a baby giggling at something as simple as your content, then also imagine how easy it would be to build a connection with the adults, your actual target audience.

According to research by Melottimedia, 48% of customers believe they have no relationship with a brand that doesn’t make them laugh or smile. If nearly half of your potential audience is unable to connect with you, how do you intend to sell to them?

A joke is the easiest way to get someone to engage with you as it breaks through barriers to establish an instant connection. It gives your audience a break from their real-life struggles and lightens the mood. When used effectively in marketing, its potential can be unlimited.

Why Humour Works Wonders in Marketing:

Instant Connection: Humor creates a shared experience, a moment of understanding between you and your audience. It says, ‘We are always thinking of ways to make you feel better’.
Enhanced Memorability: People are more likely to remember something that made them laugh. Humour helps your message stick in their minds long after they’ve scrolled past.
Increased Shareability: Funny content is shareable content. People love to share things that make them laugh with their loved ones, which in turn extends your reach organically.

Humanizing Your Brand: Humor adds personality and makes your brand feel more relatable and approachable. It shows that you don’t take yourself too seriously.

incorporating Humour in Marketing, Making Humour Relatable:

There is no point if your audience doesn’t get the joke, so always bring it down to their level.
But on second thought, humour is subjective. What one person finds hilarious, another might find offensive or simply not funny. The key to using humour effectively in your marketing is to make it ‘relatable’.
This means understanding your audience inside and out. What are their pain points and daily struggles? What kind of humour do they appreciate? What would resonate with them and grab their attention easily?
Use humour to address those pain points instead of simply making a random joke. Use humour to acknowledge a common frustration and then subtly position your product or service as a solution.
Also, infuse humour in your brand storytelling.
Example: Let’s say you’re selling productivity software. Instead of a dry ad about features, you could create a short video showcasing the relatable struggle of juggling multiple tasks, deadlines, and endless emails, all ending with a sigh of relief after using the software. This acknowledges the audience’s pain point (feeling overwhelmed) and offers a humorous solution.

Measuring the Impact – Knowing What Works and What Doesn’t:

Like any marketing strategy, it’s important to measure the impact of your humorous campaigns. Track key metrics like:
Engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and overall social media interaction.
Website Traffic: Track referral traffic from your humorous content.
Brand Mentions: Monitor social media for mentions of your brand related to the campaign.
Sales Conversions: See if your humorous campaigns are leading to actual sales.
Analyzing these metrics will help you understand what kind of humour resonates with your audience and where it’s most effective.
Some platforms or demographics might be more receptive to humour than others. So it gives you information about where to put in more effort and lets you know where changes should be made for better results.

Where Humour Might Not Work
While humour can be very effective in branding and marketing, it might not be suitable or appropriate in certain situations such as:

Sensitive Topics: Avoid using humour when dealing with serious or sensitive topics like tragedy, illness, or social injustice.
Formal or Professional Contexts: In some formal business settings, humour might not be appropriate.
If it Doesn’t Align with Your Brand: If your brand has a very serious or professional image, using humour might feel forced or out of place.

In 2025, capturing attention requires more than just a polished product and a clever tagline. It requires a genuine connection with your audience. And humour, when used strategically and thoughtfully, can be the bridge that connects you and your audience. So, don’t be afraid to crack their ribs and make them laugh till they almost fall off their seat. It might just be the big break in your marketing and branding this year.