Making your potential customers laugh can start a relationship that leads to success. Be clever but not crude. Costumes and inflatables can gain an instant laugh and still a message. Funny radio and billboard ads can win over an amused audience. With humor, you can create a buzz on the street that has customers smiling as they walk through your door.
Costumes
A mascot in a humorous costume is an eye-catching way to get a laugh and spread the word about your business. Have your mascot stand on the sidewalk corner of a high-traffic area with a series of two-sided signs. Write in large, dark-colored block letters on the signs so they are readable by people driving by. The front of the signs should be a question or setup for a joke. The back should have an answer or punch line along with the company slogan or pitch. Have the mascot cycle through the different signs throughout the day.
Competition
Create and advertise a competition to promote your product. Holding an eating competition would be ideal for a company selling a food product. Other industries should consider how they can get the community and the press involved in a competition focused on their product. Advertising that all proceeds will go to charity is good way to get people interested in being part of your event and increase press coverage. Charity runs and Olympic-style competitions can get multiple companies involved and share the load of advertising costs.
Billboard
Post a billboard to get a laugh and spread your message. Jokes that help to dismiss customer concerns can be effective. Make a point about a known problem in your industry and how that kind of thing is a joke at your company. Referring to your competition as "the other guys" is a safe way to poke fun and still get the point across. A smiling or laughing face on the sign will help to convey that it is all in good fun.
Radio
A radio jingle or commercial skit can grab potential customer attention. Produce an on-air advertisement full of humor that keeps the listeners laughing. Puns and rhyming can make an ad funny, but be clever not crude. Any radio station would be happy to play your clean-humored commercial. Some radio stations have advertising departments that will help you record and even provide talent for your commercial, for an additional fee.
Inflatables
A giant inflatable animal or character can be an funny attention-grabbing advertisement. Something silly like a giant green gorilla holding a purple surfboard will turn heads and put a smile on faces. This funny advertisement really doesn't have to be in any way related to your business or product, although it can be. Remember: the bigger, the better. Most businesses put very large inflatables outside or on the roof.
A company called Inflatable Depot makes custom giant inflatable mascots and logos. See link in Resources section below.
Tags: clever crude, giant inflatable, laugh spread, will help, your business