Navigating the Nuances of Brand Tone

We’ve all been at a family event when a joke falls flat.

‘Grandad, you can’t say that anymore’.

Or watching something everyone says is hilarious, but you’re struggling to crack a smile.

But there are also moments in life where we laugh until we cry. Where the humour is natural, visceral, human. Yep, laughter is one of the best parts of being alive. It’s also as divisive as it is unifying.

Why? Because what one person finds funny another might not.

There are also generational and cultural norms that can define humour. However, as a brand, if you can get humour right, you can connect with your audience over and above your competition.

Let’s explore the pros and cons of using humour as part of your brand tone of voice. Here are some bonafide pros:

It’s memorable

If a brand is boring, we’re not likely to remember it. It’ll just fade into the grey background fuzz with other boring brands. All vying to be noticed the least. But funny done right, is memorable. So, if it’s right for your brand, give it a go.

And when we say “right for your brand”, we mean only use humour if it doesn’t clash with your existing brand personality or actions. For most brands light humour is fine, but if you’re a humanitarian aid charity (for example), using humour is in bad taste.

It’s human

Sometimes brands can feel just a little too serious. They try so hard to maintain an idea of “professionalism” that they come off as stilted and stuffy. If you can help it, don’t be that brand. Even in the most uptight industries there’s room for a little lightness. Humour is humanising. And if people can connect with your brand on a deeper level, you’re winning.

It boosts engagement

Naturally, if people find your brand a bit funny, they’ll want to stick around. Maybe buy some stuff. Simple as.

It can be a differentiator

These days pretty much every market is a crowded market. No matter who you are, you need to try and stand out from your competitors. One way you can do this is by having your own sense of humour.

Think of Old Spice. Love or hate it’s OTT advertising, you can’t deny the humour is very, well, Old Spice. What other brand would have an American Football star act out shaving a single hair off his face, with the hair being played by a miniature version of himself?

It’s hard, even, to describe the randomness of Old Spice in words.

Make it go viral, please.

If something is genuinely funny, it’s far more likely to go viral. Simply, because if people find something funny, they’ll share it with friends and family. Remember though, you can’t ‘create a viral post’. This leads to inauthentic, ‘trying too hard’ content. You can only do your best and hope the universe delivers.

It’s a tension diffuser

You can make hard-to-discuss subjects more accessible with humour. It’s an icebreaker. A way of calming people’s nerves. Obviously, this approach takes a great deal of discretion because it’s easy to get it wrong. Not every subject can produce a laugh.

Which takes us to the cons of using humour.

The Joker

Being funny all the time is tough. Which is why forming your whole brand voice around it isn’t necessarily the best idea. You don’t want to end up looking like the class clown, forever forcing a joke. This will eventually put your audience off.

Triggered!

While some people are just overly sensitive, it’s true that jokes can offend. They can be misinterpreted or taken out of context. Even well-meaning jokes can backfire and cause brand burn. If you’re not sure, it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Use by date

Humour isn’t timeless. Just look at the comedy content of 15 or 20 years ago. For example, even some of the most celebrated TV shows of the 20th century wouldn’t get made now due to cultural shifts and changing attitudes. Whether we agree or not, society’s artistic tastes evolve to reflect the times.

It’s so in right now…

More and more brands are choosing to test drive humour – especially on social. Some are smashing it, and some aren’t. And it’s not always the expected brands that are getting it right either. This tweet (sorry, not sorry Elon) from Newcastle Brown Ale proves this.

^ Genuinely dry and funny.

On social media any brand can take off by being funny. But that doesn’t mean humour spells success. In a market saturated by bland banter, to get a laugh, you must stand out. It’s the brands that are self-deprecating, confident, and unique in their sense of humour that are rising above the rest.

It’s also about knowing when to use humour. In a lighthearted social post about pizza Fri-yay: Yes. In a press release about corporate restructuring: Maybe? No, it’s a no.

If you’re up to it, humour could be a powerful strategy for building a memorable brand identity and humanising your brand.

When used thoughtfully, it’s a valuable part of your communications toolbox that helps you form lasting and lucrative connections with your audience.

Before you stand up in front of a brick wall, give us a call.