How to Use Humor in Marketing (Without Getting Canceled)
The simplest rule: aim the joke at the problem, the process, or the pattern—not at a person or a group.
Three safe targets
- The situation: the absurd context your customer recognizes.
- The process: the hoops, the friction, the “why is this like this?” moments.
- The pattern: predictable behaviors (including your own), exaggerated with care.
Quick filter
- Is it punching up or sideways at a shared frustration?
- Does the humor support the message (instead of replacing it)?
- Would you say it in a room with your best customer in it?