The public Facebook group has more than 950,000 followers as of this posting. As the ‘About’ section states, the goal is to be “a sanctuary to escape the daily grind and just relax and laugh.”
Discussing politics, religion, and other hot-button topics is primarily avoided because they “only serve to spoil the fun atmosphere.”
A funny sign will make anyone look, and advertisers know this. According to the online billboard company Movia, 30% of campaigns incorporate some form of humor, and 50% of TV ads follow the same strategy.
What makes a funny ad powerful is its instant hook on a person’s emotions. The message becomes memorable and tends to stick for a long time.
Market research company Kantar Media mentioned six humor styles often used in advertising: The childish prank, shock value, the everyday laugh, the innocent smile, the put-down, and clever wit.
However, veteran content marketer and LinkedIn influencer Steve Olenski pointed out in an article for Forbes that humor has a potential downside. For one, an inappropriate joke could make your brand seem amateurish.
There is also the mistake of making jokes to draw some buzz, which Olenski strongly advises against.
“If people think you’re cracking jokes for the sole purpose of getting more attention, you’ll be seen as exploitative rather than funny.”
Apart from keeping things light, avoiding serious topics deters you from touching on sensitive matters. Treading those waters carries a potential threat, according to Olenski, who also advises being extra careful when joking about a group of people and certain issues.
“Kenneth Cole tried to make a joke about Egyptian rioting being related to their new spring collection back in 2012,” Olenski wrote. “It didn’t go over well.”
