The Role of Humor in Brand Identity

Think about all of your favorite businesses across industries. Want to know what they all have in common? A solid brand identity. 

A brand identity is more than a logo; it’s what lies at a business’ core: what it stands for, why it exists and how it interacts with the world. Great brand identities facilitate connections, build trust, attract new customers and differentiate a company from its competitors. A company's branding can be seen and felt in every aspect of its business model—from packaging to web design to social media content.

Like people, each brand is unique. Brands can be straightforward or mysterious, thrifty or luxurious, creative or technical, etc. They can also be serious or humorous. In fact, after a recent decline, humor is a (re)growing trend in branding and content marketing (particularly with Gen Alpha) given its ability to connect with younger consumers and build bridges between businesses and audiences. When used effectively, humor improves a brand’s relatability, memorability and engagement. 

However, it’s not for every brand, and it can be a big risk.

Companies often come to us to help them decide if humor has a place in their content. But there’s a more imperative question to ask first: does humor have a place in your brand identity? Usually, if you have to ask if humor is right for you, then you don’t have the proper guidelines in your brand book by which to make that decision.

By many accounts, humor in marketing has seen a decline in the past decade. Companies have taken the safe route, focusing on spreading information regarding the benefits of their product or service, overlooking the role of humor. However, with numerous think pieces reminding us that the youngest generations (aka the next big group of consumers) crave a little levity and a whole lot of authenticity, many marketing teams are starting to defrost their comedy chops and forgo the big-budget commercial production in favor of what’s “real.” And what’s more real than a laugh?

There are tons of reasons for appropriate brands to leverage humor in their branding and marketing, but here are our top four:

1. Approachability

Humor helps make a brand more approachable. Consumers who view a brand as humorous are more likely to reach out to customer service, ask questions and engage in other ways. Humor tends to facilitate “social equity.” Comedy is about creating amusement through shared experiences, which helps consumers feel like a brand understands them.

2. Humanity/Humility

Now more than ever, people crave human interaction. AI and other technological advances have made the world of marketing and consumerism sterile. Companies can use relevant jokes, pop culture references or other humorous tactics to make their brand feel friendlier and less holier-than-thou. Brands that can carefully and mindfully make fun of themselves get bonus points!

3. Engagement

Consumers are more apt to engage with a company that uses humor. Based on self-reporting, consumers are 69% likelier to open emails with humorous subject lines. The more engagement a company receives, the more likely they are to convert prospects to customers, so humor is a great strategy in your toolkit.

4. Higher Recall

Nine out of 10 consumers are more likely to remember a brand if it uses humor. When a consumer remembers a brand, it not only increases the likelihood of an initial sale but of future sales as well. Just be sure that you are memorable for all the right reasons. On rare occasions, brands let a joke fly that doesn’t land. In this case, it can take years (and even millions of dollars) for the business to disassociate from the fiasco.