Advertisements can easily make or break a business and the vision they are trying to project to their customers or clients. Some of my favorite and most memorable advertisements are the ones that are humor-based.
Check out this brand new video by comedy duo Tripp & Tyler that pokes fun at e-mail and what it would sound like in everyday life:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgYHHKs0Zw]
This video is humorous because we have all been there. You want to share a video like this with all of your work friends because you know they will get a kick out of it to. This video presents a problem and is sponsored by a company, who is mentioned quickly at the end, that can help you solve that problem. It is a great way to get a memorable message across; although you may not remember the company they are promoting, you would be willing to watch the video again to find out.
Think back to 2000 when a more direct advertising approach was first used by insurance company Aflac. They have since made countless videos with the duck who says “Aflac” like this one:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qhWrgphmTQ]
Though I don’t find them as funny as other videos, I can definitely say that when I think about insurance companies, a duck saying “Aflac” always comes to mind. They did a great job of finding something that would stick in the minds of potential customers. If someone were to ask which insurance company uses a talking duck as their mascot, 9 out of 10 of us would probably say “Aflac.” It has been drilled into our brains (because we have been hearing them for 15 years now) and some advertising executive out there will be telling their great-grandchildren that they were the genius who thought of it.
[ctt title=”Humor in Advertising” tweet=”Great example of my favorite and most memorable advertisements – humor-based #totsbusiness” coverup=”Z4VdQ”]
On a slightly different approach, I have seen many humorous billboards lately. Chick-Fil-A is known for their funny cows that want you to each chicken instead of, well, them. Here is just a few of their gimmicks:
(photo credit: chick-fil-a.com)
If you are familiar with the restaurant chain then you will probably think of them first when you are craving a chicken sandwich or some tenders. They are very clear on what they serve: chicken! Using a cow as a mascot for their chicken restaurant was a risk, but I think it has paid off. Kids, especially, love to see these silly cows as they drive by and will instantly start asking to eat at Chick-Fil-A.
Have you tried using humor in your advertising? Has it worked?
What are some humorous advertisements that come to mind for you?
