Mark Armstrong Illustration Specializing In Content Marketing Advertising Editorial Infographics Animation Videos and Social Media

In my previous post I talked about how “humor,” in a marketing context, is more about making people feel good than making them laugh.

“Humor” includes good humor– making people feel welcome.

It’s a way to stand out from competitors and make yourself memorable.

It also makes people put down their shields long enough to hear you out and see what you’ve got to offer.

In the previous post I included 6 examples of businesses using humor to market themselves. Most of these involved local businesses and were drawn from my own experience.

Here are 9 more examples.

1. Alas, The Muffler Man is gone, but he’s not forgotten. He used to stand outside a service station in Marlborough, NH. An 8-foot metal sculpture made from old mufflers and pipes. He had one arm raised in a friendly greeting.

If you needed a new muffler, you couldn’t help but think of The Muffler Man. He was a testament to skill, inventiveness, and friendly service.

2. I’m from Upstate New York, and I love driving old and scenic Route 20 when I go back to visit family. One of my favorite stops is the Duanesburg Diner in Duanesburg, NY. A big long counter, booths, tables, and great food.

You’ll see a bunch of snapshots taped above the counter. People with cups of coffee in their hands, and big smiles on their faces. They’re the regulars, and the diner celebrates them.

Those photos say great things about the diner and their loyal customers. I always smile when I see them.

3. I always enjoy Richard Shotton‘s tweets and articles. His specialty is applying behavioral science to marketing. He recently shared this old print ad which made me roar with laughter.

So funny, so simple, and it makes you want to eat there.

The restaurant, located in Elgin, IL, closed back in the 90’s. It was housed in a beautiful historic mansion with a very interesting history.

4. The Savings Bank of Walpole is our local community bank in the southwest corner of New Hampshire. (Full disclosure: I’m a happy customer.)

SBW has a Customer Appreciation Day every summer. They set up tents in their parking lot and fire up grills. Anyone can stop by and get a free hot dog.

It’s a simple thing, but people love it. Bank employees aren’t people in suits sitting in offices. They’re out wearing baseball caps and t-shirts. They’re part of the community.

5. Ever watch a Jackie Chan movie? I’m not a Kung Fu guy, but I’ve seen a few of his earlier films before he started teaming up with established Hollywood stars.

Starting with Dragon Lord (1982), Chan has attached a blooper reel (outtakes) to all his films (they play during the credits at the end).

The outtakes include stunts that went wrong. Some very funny stuff, and his fans love him for it.

The outtakes have become an expected part of any Jackie Chan movie. They’ve become part of his brand.

6. Nick’s Restaurant in West Swanzey, NH, was quite a legend in its time (sadly, it closed in 2019). You’d be a legend, too, if you had an enormous crab covering your entire roof. There’s a lot to be said for humor that’s purely visual.

If you’re thinking Nick’s specialized in seafood, you’re correct. We get a lot of leaf-peepers here in New Hampshire in the fall. I’d be willing to bet that crab pulled in a lot of first-time diners who did a double-take.

My thanks to Bill Owens for this wonderful photo.

7. Our local independent bookstores stage a ‘Round The Mountain Book Sale every fall. It gets its name from Mt. Monadnock which dominates the landscape here in southwestern New Hampshire.

The original participants included my all-time favorite bookstore, Homestead Books in Marlborough, NH. The owner, Rob Kenney (now retired), offered free coffee and donuts for all four days of the sale. It’s hard to imagine a more delightful welcome for any book lover.

8. Permit me a small nostalgia trip: I bought a lot of bubble gum when I was a kid. Most of it was Bazooka Bubble Gum. Why? Because each piece came with a little comic strip inside the waxy, red, white and blue wrapper. You even got a fortune and a cheap merchandise offer! The jokes were corny, but I always looked forward to them, no matter how bad they were.

The comics were discontinued back in 2013, and Bazooka fans were not pleased. The company wisely decided to bring them back. My only complaint: the “new” comics are reprints, i.e., reruns, of old strips. (Reruns always seem like a creative step backwards to me.)

Here are a couple of the original strips.

9. What if your “brand” is a police department? Can you use humor to make citizens more law-abiding? The Marlborough (NH) Police Department proves you can.

Back in 1986, then-Police Chief Peter Henry had an idea for slowing traffic on busy Route 101 which runs through the center of town. He got his artistic wife to create a fake patrolman out of cardboard. The new recruit was taped to the headrest of a cruiser, which was then parked on Main Street. Was that a cop sitting there?? Motorists couldn’t be sure and slowed down.

The story got picked up by the Keene Sentinel and wound up on the Associated Press wire service, along with a photo. Suddenly “Captain Cardboard” was famous. He even got a mention on Good Morning America.

He’s still on the job today (some people even stop to ask him for directions). It’s hard not to smile when you see him. I always slow down, too– it’s like playing along with the joke and getting in the spirit of the thing.

Another good reason to slow down: sometimes it’s a real three-dimensional policeman sitting in that cruiser– you can never be sure.

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About Mark: I’m an illustrator specializing in humor, branding, social media, and content marketing. My images are different, like your brand needs to be.

You can view my portfolio, and connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Questions? Send me an email.

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