The Super Bowl was yesterday and about half of the way through one of the commercial breaks I realized that I was watching with a new set of eyes. I usually watch the big game and Fox did an amazing job as they have for several years presenting the game in the context of America and being an American. Kind of ironic if you’re Pats fan given the outcome of the game.
The new eyes had to do with advertising and the most recent lessons learned from the Internet; specifically transparency. I estimate that 80% of the ads that I saw (and more importantly, remember) involved humor. Humor is one of the key elements of viral video and provides some insight as to what kind of people put it together and more specifically work for a company.
Knowing whom you’re working with is the key element to transparency and smart businesses are using it to build deep customer relationships. Humor is such a personal thing and sharing a joke with someone is to invite them into your perspective. I realized that I feel like I know a company more if they have made me laugh. We have shared a humorous moment.
Of course if something is not funny it can push me away from a company and that is the risk of humor and transparency.
e.g.
