Have you ever watched a corporate video that tried to be funny but fell flat? It's not an uncommon scenario. Getting humour right in these types of videos can be... quite tricky.
Yes, exercising your funny bone can make your corporate video more memorable, shareable, and engaging. If it resonates with the audience and is well-executed, it can lead to increased brand awareness, engagement, and even sales. Plus, it can help you stand out from the competition and create a positive association with your brand.
But creating a humorous video that's going to resonate with all members of your audience can be fairly challenging. After all, humour is subjective — what one person finds funny, may not be funny to another.
These videos are also a representation of your brand. So it's important that the humour aligns with your brand's values and messaging. You don't want to turn potential customers away with something that's more inappropriate or offensive than funny.
You've got to strike a balance between humour and the message being conveyed. It should enhance and reinforce your message, not overshadow it.
You should also consider your brand's tone of voice and use humour that aligns with your usual values and messaging. Innocent Smoothies get away with being downright silly because.. well, they're only selling smoothies. This kind of humour probably isn't going to be suitable for brands selling high-end products.
So it's all about finding the right balance between being entertaining and informative and making sure that the humour reinforces your brand's values and messaging.
Here are some excellent examples of humour in corporate videos:
1. Slack: "So yeah, we tried Slack..."
Slack's "So Yeah, We Tried Slack..." is a fantastic example of how humour can be used to showcase the benefits of a software product.
The video parodies a traditional corporate training video by showing employees struggling to communicate using outdated methods like carrier pigeons and smoke signals. The humour is relatable to anyone who has dealt with frustrating communication methods in the workplace, while also highlighting the ease and convenience of using Slack.
2. HubSpot: "What is HubSpot?"
Here, HubSpot takes a playful approach to its products and services by showing a sales and marketing team in utter chaos.
The funny quips (and straight-up delusions) of these team members as they navigate their work day without HubSpot CRM add relatability and lightheartedness to the video that keeps viewers engaged and entertained.
It not only effectively communicates the many benefits of HubSpot CRM to potential customers, but also helps HubSpot present itself as approachable, relatable, and fun.
3. Apple: "That whole working-from-home thing"
Apple cleverly uses humour and relatability to showcase the benefits of its products for remote workers. The relatable scenarios include not knowing what day it is, working in slippers, endless video calls, family members interrupting, and the general chaos of working from home.
The video connects with its audience by highlighting the relatable struggles of working from home, while also showcasing how Apple products can make remote work easier, more streamlined, and more productive.
In all three of these examples, humour is a crucial aspect of the video's success. By tapping into relatable experiences, they create a connection with their audience and make the brand more relatable and human. And this in itself can increase the shareability of the videos. But crucially, they all highlight the benefits of the products while adding this fun and engaging element — yes, they're not taking themselves too seriously, but the core message is still received loud and clear.
