The power of humour in advertising is undeniable – with its remarkable ability to captivate, transcend barriers and engage with audiences at an emotive level. Yet, in my observation, it tends to predominantly be employed in entertainment, leisure, personal care and retail categories. In traditionally ‘serious’ sectors like life insurance, loans, investment, pharma or ‘solemn’ themes like public health and safety and sustainability, cheeky comedy or animated play seems incongruous or even inappropriate. After all, these ‘serious’ domains carry the gravitas of managing risk, ensuring safety, public education and professionalism.
However, if done right, it is precisely in this context that humour and light-heartedness can wield its greatest impact for marketers - as a potent tool for increased brand salience, emotional engagement, persuasion and even behaviour change.
When one thinks of great advertising campaigns over the past decade, it’s not too long before the insurance price comparison platform, Compare the Market’s Meercat campaign, comes to mind. Not widely perceived to be the greatest creative opportunity, car insurance has been a notoriously uninteresting subject for users. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall in the room when VCCP had the gumption to present the idea based on a random word play of ‘market and meercat’!
Voted the nation’s favourite TV advert in 2016, Aleksandr Orlov and his meerkat friends have gone on to become kids’ favourite cuddly toys, partnered with blockbusters like Frozen, Star Wars and Batman, while the website has become the third-largest price comparison website in the UK. The campaign's success was attributed to its ability to engage audiences with a playful and memorable character, while still conveying the core message of simplifying car insurance.
Yet, when a freight and logistics client wanted to use a prickly mammal as its mascot, that saved the day by transforming the workplace by making it paperless, it was perceived as an immature, non-credible brand that trivialized industry practices.
What, if any, are the boundaries of industry and context appropriateness when adopting humour in communication in ‘solemn’ categories?
One of the key challenges for marketers, is striking the balance between disruption whilst still staying relevant to the brand. It is well known that comedy thrives on incongruity or unexpected deviation from the norm. Humour helps break through the noise, disrupt to draw and retain attention. However, needs to do so without detracting from the integrity of the message or diminish the significance of the subject matter.
Another great example of a brand that has walked this tight rope with ease is Metro Rail Melbourne train’s ’Dumb ways to Die’ campaign.
The campaign engaged audiences with its catchy song and lyrics, cute animated characters and dark humour whilst effectively landing some serious, often ignored public safety messages around trains. The PSA achieved a pledge from 127 million towards railway safety, as well as a 10-20% reduction in train-related accidents – true behaviour change in action. The key learning is using humour to get people’s attention, make them feel something but then making a meaningful, emotional connection with the brand to inspire behaviour revaluation.
More recently, Nationwide’s ‘In your best interest’ ad featuring Dominic West used clever play on British humour to not just entertain UK audiences but also uniquely position itself as the antithesis of other banks. The ad’s dry self-deprecating wit, subtle sarcasm and word play aligned well with British sense of humour, making the message about not closing physical branches enjoyable and memorable.
Though Nationwide hasn’t always got it right in recognising cultural sensitivities. In 2015, Nationwide insurance aired a Super Bowl ad that was meant to highlight childhood accidents and the importance of insurance. By airing it during Super Bowl, a time usually associated with lighthearted entertainment and humour, the rather sombre awareness building message backfired.
This example highlights the importance of carefully considering the macro context and timing of airing humour ads to maximise receptivity. A Kantar 2021 global study confirmed that 38% of people did not want to see humour in advertising during the pandemic. Similarly, when some banks used humour in their ads immediately after the financial crisis of 2008, it didn’t go down well with consumers, leading to a significant shift away from humour in the industry towards more serious, trust-building advertising.
Another way to manage humour marketing is landing it at targeted segments or tailoring it to certain profiles of audience through channel choice. Digital and mobile gaming channels can be more receptive (and forgiving) to edgy disruptive content vs traditional media, allowing for greater interactivity and buzz. For marketers, digital channels additionally allow the benefit of quick adjustments and course correction if required.
In summary, while the notion of humour in ‘serious’ industries may initially seem unconventional, its potential for impact and transformation should not be underestimated. By leveraging humour as a catalyst for provocation, re-evaluation and behaviour change, marketers can unlock new avenues for innovation and consumer connection. Here are a few takeaways for brands in ‘serious’ sectors on getting humour marketing and emotional tone right.
- Be brave but disrupt with care
The unexpected-ness of humour in serious categories can be attention grabbing and memorable. The key is to strike a balance between levity and the integrity of the message, without trivialising the gravity of the subject matter. Humour humanises the brand or theme, making seemingly complex and serious business concepts feel more accessible and relatable to consumers.
- Stay culturally attuned
Know your audience and tailor the humour approach to ensure that it aligns with their local cultural norms, as well as the socio-cultural context in which an ad is aired. Ill-timed or inappropriate humour can make a brand appear insensitive and unprofessional, impacting brand trust – paramount in pharma, finance and insurance sectors.
- Align with the brand strategy and tone of voice
Successful campaigns bring to life the brand’s strategy in a memorable and ownable way, by integrating humour in a way that feels genuine and true to its brand role. Humour should complement (and not overshadow) the product story and feel purposeful especially in such serious categories – whether it’s to simplify understanding of complex concepts, normalise an awkward topic or build emotional connection.
- Make strategic platform choices
Choose the right media channels to deliver your humorous message effectively as it can influence how your message is received. Digital and social media platforms, for example, can be more receptive and forgiving of edgy and disruptive content, allowing for greater interactivity and engagement.
For more information on how Kantar can help you win with creative insights and guardrails early in the creative development journey, get in touch.
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