Advertising has become such a huge part of our lives which is no wonder why marketing campaigns have to pull out all the stops to get our attention. But what are we, the buyers, more interested in seeing: the facts or something funny?
That is the inevitable question all marketing consultants or marketing agencies have to ask themselves and their clients. The truth is that both work very well if they are used in the right context, either separately or together. It all depends on the product or service and the brand that is being sold. However, the opposite is also true. Funny just doesn’t work in some instances and marketing consultants have to be able to advise you when this may be a reality for your brand. Let’s look at an example. In the event of a Save a Life campaign, having a comedic spin will not only be in bad taste but will also be disrespectful. Although, there will be attention around this sort of campaign, it will be for all the wrong reasons. The aim to get people interested in your brand or message without offending them.
In more professional industries, like engineering where buildings and transportation can affect all our lives, people prefer hearing the facts about the solidity and durability of the products. No one wants to hear a joke about the steel or fittings that are being used in the building that they have to work in every day. This will scare them. They will wonder when the building will collapse because if the engineer didn’t take their job seriously, how can they trust them? Thus in cases like this a factual approach to your marketing campaign is advisable and will be worth it in the long run. Your business needs to earn the trust of potential clients.
On the hand, the funny spin can be used in many other marketing campaigns. Having a funny advertisement on television or in a magazine could create a positive response between the prospective client and your brand. It could even spread virally on the internet. If you are marketing something that is light hearted or fun, like sunglasses or a chocolate bar then you could advertise it in a funny context. The advantage with the funny spin is that people tend to enjoy it more, remember it, talk about it and then ultimately purchase your product.
Result.
So when your marketing consultants are developing your marketing strategy, take care in considering what’s best for your brand. Don’t just jump on the funny band wagon because everyone is doing it.