Make me laugh

Despite the fact that you now can’t sample their products legally in a public place and that they haven’t been allowed to advertise for decades on TV, (and anywhere at all for the last few years), just ask a group of 30 and 40 something’s what their favourite advert of all time is and I bet that the majority choose the Hamlet cigar series, and the photo booth in particular.  Research into advertising has shown that the advertisements from our childhood resonate particularly with us today as a consequence of many factors including the fact that we were exposed to far fewer given the tiny number of media channels that were available then.  The Cadbury’s Smash robots, John Smith’s terrier, Beanz Meanz Heinz and Hovis delivery boy ads can also be recalled with great affection, regardless of the product quality or relevance to us as consumers then, or now, but the one that wins the polls every time is Hamlet.  Why?  Because they used a method of communication that was highly effective then and still is today: the ads made us laugh – even the most vehement antismoker couldn’t help but smile as Gregor Fisher struggled with his comb over.  Today many advertisements for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and beer in particular still use humour extensively, and I would guess that the John Smith’s ads featuring Peter Kay will be recalled decades after they were last aired, but let me ask you a question: how many business to business ads have made you laugh recently?

I receive, and I guess many readers do too, between twenty to thirty new business letters every week many accompanied with expensive brochures; I get almost the same number of promotional emails each day and, amazingly, still in 2007, several faxes as well, all pitching a product or service.  And they’re all so earnest!  The language used is nearly always serious, sometimes bordering on threatening, with a tone of voice that you’d never find outside of corporate communications – but not once this year has anything caused me to laugh out loud or even made me smile and I think many companies are missing a trick by not appreciating the power of humour.

I’ve never forgotten the words of Clive Cobb who is one of the most creative people I’ve ever worked with – Clive was way ahead of his time in many respects and his skills were utilised by many advertising and design agencies in the 80’s and 90’s. Once, when preparing for a major pitch, he reviewed my draft presentation and looking up, with a smile on his face stated: “Peter, don’t tell me you’re funny; make me laugh!”  Now I’ve told this story countless times since but nearly always in the context of someone trying to communicate how great or special their product or service is whereas of course if it is that good it should be self evident.  But reflecting now on Clive’s wisdom I actually think his words should be taken literally – make your customer laugh, or smile at least, and you’re half way there – particularly as your competition, I can almost guarantee, won’t be using humour in their communications.

Perhaps the reason for a near total absence of humour in corporate communications is that it’s not easy to do well.  Young and old, male and female, educated or not – however you divide your target audience the chances are that their humour trigger will be different and what might cause one person to split their sides will have another groaning or just not “getting it”.  But this shouldn’t deter you.  Have a look at your web site, your brochure, your new business letters and your advertising and ask yourself – “How can I make these funny”?  I’m not suggesting that your communications should only focus on this medium, there are of course important and serious messages that need to be communicated appropriately for just about every business, but the injection of humour, the demonstration of not taking yourself too seriously will, I’m convinced, cause the recipient to sit up and take notice.

I do appreciate that for many of us business is a serious business and understand that the risk attached to using humour in communications is to appear frivolous or irreverent perhaps but all to often I think we forget the words of Robert Louis Stevenson that “Everyone lives by selling something” and I’ve yet to meet a funny salesman who isn’t also a successful one.