How can humor effectively differentiate your brand in a crowded market?

The marketing world is always changing and with the rise of platforms like Tiktok, authentic content is what consumers want to see. Consumers have grown tired of boring ads and information. This has forced a shift for brands to become more human. Ryanair, Duolingo and Dominos are all great examples of this. Creating many viral moments from humorous marketing and reacting directly to customers comments with witty remarks. In B2B marketing specifically, adding humour can help brands stand out. Businesses receive many cold pitches, following outdated methods. Being able to cut through the noise with a different approach, can help businesses beat the competition.

Humor can be a powerful tool in differentiating your brand, even in a crowded market: Memorability: Humorous content tends to be more memorable. In a crowded market, being remembered is half the battle. Humanizes Your Brand: B2B marketing often lacks a human touch. Humor humanizes your brand, making it more relatable and approachable. Cuts Through Noise: In a sea of serious content, humor stands out. It can capture attention and engage your audience more effectively. Builds Emotional Connections: Humor can evoke positive emotions, fostering a stronger connection between your brand and your audience. Encourages Sharing: Funny content is highly shareable. It can amplify your reach as people share content they find amusing.

I am about to drop a B2C brand now but it is still relevant. Don't take yourself as a brand too serious. Look at Ryan Air and their BRILLIANT social media strategy. Be what you are, stand for less things but stand for them 100%. Don't pretend to be everything and allow your team to make a bit of fun of any relatable situation that your customer might find themselves in.

At the end of the day, we're all human. We're all getting a ton of cold outreach emails that are examples of what not to do, and our inboxes are getting increasingly cluttered. Having humor makes you stand out from the others that just copy/paste the same generic templated emails. Not to mention, it makes your brand feel more human, and makes your outreach feel more personal. Recently, I received a humorous outreach email, and even though we weren't a fit for what they were offering, I took the time to respond and compliment them. Being unique and standing out isn't a bad thing if it's done right!

Humour matters in marketing, not just B2B marketing. So many studies say that people are on social for 3 reasons - To learn - To be entertained - Communicate with friends and family That second bucket is quite saturated at the moment but there is still space.

To find your brand's humor style, you need to understand your brand's voice, values, and overall personality. Next, you need to know who you're talking to. Take the time to understand your target audience - their values, preferences, and sense of humor. By aligning your humor with these core elements, you can create a unique and authentic connection with your audience. Let's take the example of a coffee brand targeting young professionals: Why did the young professional bring coffee to the job interview? Because it was brew-tifully necessary to espress-o their enthusiasm! Remember, humor is subjective, and what works for one brand may not work for another!

1.Know Your Audience: Analyze your audience demographics, preferences, and behaviors. What humor appeals to them? Conduct surveys or engage in social listening to grasp their tastes. 2.Understand Brand Identity: Your humor should align with your brand's values, mission, and personality. Determine if your brand's tone allows for humor and the boundaries it should observe. 3.Analyze Competitors: Explore how your competitors use humor. Identify gaps or styles that you could adapt and see what works best within your industry. 4.Experiment: Test various humor styles – puns, wit, sarcasm, irony, or light-hearted jokes. Assess which style resonates best with your audience without compromising brand integrity.

Everyone’s humour style is different. Some go for silly humour. Some for serious ones. Dark, uncommon and mysterious are again some genres. Try to find the one that naturally comes to you.

No matter how confident you are of the humor in your marketing content, test it first with a small group before rolling it out. Examples can be a subset of the audience in a social media platform or show it to a subset of individuals on your website first. Remember, humor doesn't always "translate" in each country or customer segment, so before you go big, ensure your test group receives it well.

By incorporating humour into various aspects of your marketing content, such as headlines, stories, social media posts, and calls to action, you can create a more memorable and engaging experience for your B2B prospects. For example, when I was working at a digital marketing agency, we created an "in memoriam" video dedicated to the sunsetting of Google Universal Analytics. This resonated with our target market of marketers, as it touched the pain point around missing the familiar interface and metrics. Humour should be used strategically and thoughtfully to complement your brand's message and values, rather than overshadowing them. When done correctly, humour can be a valuable tool in your B2B marketing arsenal.

However, humour isn't always appropriate. Further to considering the audience, culture, context, relevance and brand, you also need to consider the distribution channel. For instance, humour that works in a social media post or a video may not be appropriate for a white paper or longform article.