Making Your Business Stand Out With Lolcats
A lot of us probably feel that a company’s marketing has to be straightforward and professional. That we have to present ourselves and our business with a stern face and a firm handshake, and show people how that attitude has made us into the leading dog sweater maker in our respective industry. That by combining hard work and a driven attitude, we have been able to knit intelligently designed, and thoughtfully marketed sweaters that any dog would be remiss to be without.
But marketing doesn’t have to always be delivered with a straight face. In fact, sometimes it’s better and even beneficial that it be presented with a wry smile and a playful remark.
And hilarious marketing and advertising often stands out the most. The most memorable advertisements that I’ve seen lately have both been hilarious. “If you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get gay married,” read a Manhattan Mini Storage advertisement. Another, for Ruffles Molten Hot Wings, suggested that you should, “punch your mouth in its face.” Advice that I chose not to heed at the time, despite the fact that I felt strongly compelled to do so.
But I didn’t remember those advertisements simply because they were funny. I remembered them because in light of all of the bland advertisements boasting new and improved products, they stood out. They were different. After all, we see thousands of advertisements and messages every day. The fact that I was able to even remember one days after seeing it is pretty damn good.
Which is why promotional materials and advertisements need to learn to be funny again. Sure, a lot of companies have a professional appearance that they need to uphold, but why not introduce some lighthearted humor, too? It would be asinine and insane to believe that, in today’s often comical world of social media and viral videos, how we present our company should always be in a professional, serious manner. After all, we laugh at jokes while we work. We also occasionally watch hilarious videos about kids stoned out of their minds on oxygen.
So, why not e-mail that potential client an intriguing fictional tale about how a mutt was able to survive weeks stuck in a blizzard, tightly bound in his cute little puppy sweater. Just make sure that you indicate that your story is, in fact, a fictional tale, and not something that you would stake your company’s reputation on.
Or update your website copy to have it reflect that yes, you will in fact develop a fully functioning and brilliantly mapped out Lolcats website for the right price.
Still, there is always a right time and place for humor. While peppering in a few jokes here and there won’t necessarily destroy your company’s reputation, forwarding a dirty joke e-mail from a friend to a potential client probably won’t move you any closer towards sealing the deal on that recent proposal.
Also, make sure you avoid committing something similar to what Kenneth Cole recently did in light of the revolution in Egypt. A nation’s attempt to overthrow years of oppression probably isn’t the most opportune time to try and be humorous.
And realize that regardless of how funny your company has suddenly become, your new business model should not be in providing people comedic relief. There are plenty of other professionals that get paid to do that.
Like it’s important to occasionally remind ourselves to breathe when we are feeling stressed or overwhelmed, it’s also important for us to remind ourselves to laugh at the world around us. Just keep in mind that the next time you’re having a jolly old time around the office, don’t go and do something like this.
Source: MSM DesignZ, Inc. is a Westchester NY Social Media company specializing in advertising, web and graphic design, and SEO.