Brands Find Their Funny Bone

We have the pleasure of working with The Impractical Jokers and their team. The Jokers are a special troupe. These friends from high school grew up in Staten Island and are living life in such a fun way. They write, produce, and star in their show, and constantly crack up everyone around them. The new season kicked off last week on truTV (now TBS) and is a ratings darling. The second episode airs tonight while they’re out on their arena tour selling out venues all around the world.

Comedy has long been an overlooked element of culture marketing, which baffles me. I understand that a space known for pushing boundaries and skirting political correctness seems a little risky from a business standpoint, but is aligning with a rebellious musician that much safer? The ROI on a rockstar relationship always seems to soothe the nerves of brand managers and legal departments, so why shouldn’t the same be true of comedians?

With bad news dominating every screen, everywhere, 24 hours a day, viewers are seeking out feel-good moments on TikTok and quick laughs from memes. Brands are beginning to understand our inherent need to LOL together and are slowly dipping their toes into this vertical.

For marketers leaning into humorous creators, we recommend applying the same lens you would if music was your focus: find talented entertainers with a loyal fanbase who can make engaging content clean enough for network TV, and then collaboratively find credible ways to integrate them into your product. The Jokers are the archetype in my opinion, so if you’re interested in any of their properties and events, you know who to call.

This week’s episode, airing at 10PM on truTV and TBS, features?Post Malone hotboxing a stranger’s car. Let’s laugh together tonight!

Jesse Kirshbaum

Co-Founder of Nue Agency