Humor gives you those quick three seconds to catch someone’s eye before they scroll past. It can make your marketing memorable and keep people interested. It also adds a light touch in a world that often feels way too serious.
Using humor helps your brand stand out because everyone likes a good laugh more than a boring sales pitch. If your message makes someone smile or chuckle, chances are, they’ll remember it longer than your competitor’s straight-faced ad.
Think about your own reaction to getting bombarded every minute of every day with emails, marketing messages, and advertising both online and offline. How often do you take a cursory glance and then hit “delete” or throw it into the garbage?
Know Your Audience
Your brand’s personality needs to align with using humor. If it doesn’t already, perhaps you should consider incorporating it so that it does make sense with your brand.
Knowing your audience and what type of humor will resonate with them will help you understand what is appropriate and what is not.
Just because your niche is a serious one, doesn’t necessarily mean humor is off-limits. Keep in mind that there are different types of humor and comedic styles.
For example, I can’t imagine how using humor in any manner would be appropriate for a funeral parlor. But, it could be effective for let’s say, a veterinary clinic?
Using animals to talk about your clinic could very well prove to be very effective.
For business purposes, I would recommend staying away from dirty and political humor. My mother always told me to avoid talking about religion and politics. Boy, was she right, especially in today’s climate. If you offend your audience, it won’t endear them to your brand.
Sometimes Humor is Needed
Life is not easy. Between the issues with testing, closures, shortages, and stringent implementation of safety measures, most of us need a distraction from the chaos. Seeing funny memes on social media is a welcome relief from the horror we hear on the news every day. Humor:
- Breaks Tension: It lightens stressful situations and eases tough conversations.
- Builds Relationships: It helps teams bond and makes leaders seem more approachable.
- Boosts Engagement: Funny marketing or presentations grab attention and keep people interested.
- Enhances Creativity: Laughter encourages open-minded thinking, leading to better ideas.
- Makes Messages Memorable: People remember and share information that made them laugh.
- Humanizes Brands: It shows personality, making brands and people feel more relatable.
In short, humor can boost morale, create stronger connections, and make business interactions more enjoyable and effective.
How AI Makes Using Humor More Accessible
Humor has always been a great way to grab attention, but making people laugh on purpose isn’t easy for everyone. Not everyone has a joke on standby or knows the right time to drop a punchline.
Recently, AI has become the sidekick marketers never knew they needed. With AI’s help, anyone—from solopreneurs to big teams—can lighten up their content and reach more people using creative, personalized humor.
Think of AI as a digital writing partner who never runs out of clever ideas and somehow always has a joke for even the toughest crowd.
AI takes the guesswork out of trying to be funny. It suggests witty comments, spins up memes that suit your audience, and checks for tone so jokes land in the right way. Even if writing a snappy one-liner isn’t your thing,
AI smooths out the edges, making it easier to add a smile to articles, posts, and videos. This boost in creativity helps break the ice with new followers, encourages more shares, and helps messages stand out.
Let AI Be Your Humor Wingman
AI tools can help you walk the line between funny and offensive. They’re great at scanning for potentially risky language and suggesting rewrites. If creativity runs dry, AI can toss out joke ideas or fun analogies tailored to your target group.
- Instant suggestions: Platforms like RightBlogger’s AI Content Creator help brainstorm safe, on-brand jokes and playful headlines in seconds.
- Detecting red flags: Many AI tools analyze text for language that could be misread or cause offense before you share it with the world.
- Consistency with brand voice: When used with purpose, AI keeps the tone friendly and light while saving you from most missteps.
For more on blending personality with AI-assistance, check out tips on Humanizing AI Content. When you use creative tools and clear judgment together, your humor can delight more people without the awkward aftertaste.
Examples: AI-Assisted Humor Tools in Action
There are AI tools for every kind of creator looking to sprinkle in more humor without the stress. Here are some well-known platforms and features that make it simple to add wit to your content, even if your last joke bombed at the office party:
- ChatGPT and GPT-4: OpenAI’s popular chatbot isn’t just for serious copy—it can spin up jokes, puns, or even full comedic sketches based on your input. Want a meme idea or a lighthearted social post? Just prompt it with your topic and a tone, and watch it perform.
- Canva Magic Write: The writing assistant inside Canva’s design platform brings humor to social captions, video scripts, or presentations. Coupled with its meme and GIF features, creators have everything needed to whip up content that gets laughs—and clicks.
- Synthesia and Pictory: These AI-powered video tools help you create videos with avatars who dish out jokes, puns, or playful outtakes. Add a quirky script, and you instantly have engaging video content with a touch of humor.
- Meme Generator by Imgflip: For fast, AI-suggested meme captions tailored to what’s trending or your topic, this tool delivers on the fly. It’s handy for social teams wanting to keep their memes sharp and timely.
For creative content that combines funny visuals with engaging copy, explore the best AI Image Generators. These tools help whip up playful graphics—even if you can’t draw a stick figure. They let you customize images, add comic speech bubbles, and visually punch up a joke.
If you’re interested in how AI-powered humor helps with video, platforms like Synthesia work hand-in-hand with strategies for effective video calls to action to keep audiences smiling—and sticking around until the end.
AI humor tools have made it easier than ever for brands of every size to get noticed, get remembered, and maybe even get a chuckle or two. All you need is a topic, a sense of play, and a little help from your AI friends to turn your message into something shareable and fun.
Creative Content Ideas to Spark Laughter
Ready to give your content the “funny bone” treatment? Humor doesn’t have to feel forced. You don’t need to be a comedian to get your audience smiling—sometimes all it takes is a new approach, a lighthearted meme, or a punchy video.
AI tools make it even easier to brainstorm and polish ideas that can make people laugh. Let’s look at ways to turn ordinary posts into memorable moments that actually make people want to share your stuff.
Meme Magic and Relatable GIFs
A meme can travel faster than a rumor at a family picnic. When you tap into trending formats or spin up a clever original, you create instant shareability. GIFs also work wonders for showing emotion or poking fun at everyday problems. With AI-driven image generators, you don’t have to start from scratch—just feed in your topic and get a list of ideas suited for your niche.
Examples of funny meme and GIF ideas:
- Current pop culture references twisted for your industry
- “Expectation vs Reality” GIFs for common customer challenges
- Simple animated reactions for social replies
The key is keeping things light, visual, and easily “gettable” in a split second. If creating visuals feels tricky, discover tips for making playful graphics in The Power of Fun Visuals in AI Creativity.
Humorous Videos and Short Clips
Short video content is perfect for punchlines. A 10-second skit, a spoof on a trending video, or playful “behind the scenes” moments can make your brand stand out. AI-powered video tools now help you write scripts, generate quick edits, and even suggest trending sound bites.
Fun video content ideas include:
- “Blooper reels” that reveal the real, messy side of your business
- Baby Podcaster
- Animated explainers told from a dog’s perspective (yes, really—quirky angles get noticed!)
For a head start on making video content fun and shareable, check out this Collection of Engaging Video Clips.
Interactive Polls and Quizzes
People love quizzes, especially if the results make them laugh. Try “Which Office Snack Are You?” or a quiz that pairs personalities with your product in a funny way. Even a simple poll—like “Worst kitchen disaster?”—invites engagement with a side of humor.
Effective strategies for boosting laughs:
- Add gifs as answer choices
- Reveal silly “prizes” at the end (like a badge: “King of Dad Jokes”)
- Let AI tools help write clever quiz questions
Playful Listicles and “Fail” Moments
Lists can be way more entertaining when you add humor. Sprinkle jokes between tips, share goofy mistakes you’ve seen (or made!), and don’t be afraid to poke fun at industry norms. Readers appreciate brands willing to laugh at themselves.
Entertaining listicle ideas:
- “Top 10 Marketing Mistakes (We’ve All Made #7)”
- “Five Signs You Need More Coffee Before Your Next Zoom”
- “Email Replies That Deserve a Trophy—The Funny, the Awkward, the Legendary”
For an example of how tech can sometimes be unintentionally hilarious, review some Common AI Mistakes Explained that will have your audience nodding and giggling.
AI-Powered Content Suggestions
Stuck staring at a blank page? AI is your creative partner here. Modern AI tools study tone, trends, and audience reactions, then toss out ideas for memes, puns, or one-liners as fast as you can type. This means you can spin up witty content without waiting for inspiration to strike during your morning shower.
Benefits of using AI for humor:
- Quick-witted captions and jokes designed for your specific followers
- On-brand punchlines ready for every social platform
- Custom content based on what’s already working for you
If writer’s block or repetitive ideas ever threaten your creativity, AI tools are the best co-pilots to inject some fun and break free from marketing ruts.
Adding humor with these ideas doesn’t just liven up your content, it humanizes your brand and makes you easier to remember. Give one or two of these ideas a try—see how many smiles you collect across your feeds.
Which Images Below Would Grab Your Attention More?
If someone laughs at your content, they are reacting. Reactions are engagements. When someone engages with your brand, it increases their awareness.
It is also a known fact that funny images, messages, and videos get shared much more than dull or boring ones.
Consumers make purchase decisions based on emotions. When companies create advertisements for their business, they rely on how their potential customers will feel about their product or service.
Humor can be helpful to companies that are promoting or advertising their business offerings. This is especially true when their industry is not the most exciting one out there. Keep in mind that humor can also be a little risky.
You should understand your target audience. Make sure not to go beyond funny into an area that could be deemed offensive. Don’t push the boundaries of acceptable content too far.
Animals, Children, and Expressions
If you want to use humor and don’t want to offend anyone, usually using images of animals, children, and funny expressions will do the trick.
Just be sure to stay away from anything controversial. Remember what your mother taught you: two topics you should always stay away from are religion and politics.
Humor is an Ice Breaker
People who make public presentations often use humor to break the ice, especially if the topic is rather mundane. Being funny shows the audience that the speaker is human and more relatable than the subject matter they are presenting.
Teachers and professors have seen that when they use humor in their lessons, their students pay more attention. It also increases their retention of the subject matter.
Examples of Brands That Have Used Humor Effectively
Southwest Airlines is known for using humor. They say it is because they are trying to get the attention of passengers when they are going over the safety instructions. Whatever the reason, it is funny!
Squatty Potty‘s product lends itself to clever marketing. Having gained its fame and financial backing after appearing on Shark Tank, Squatty Potty has been quite successful. And, its marketing is a blast.
How Using Humor Can Benefit Your Brand
- Funny brands are easier to relate to on a human level and appear more trustworthy
- Laughter is contagious and therefore is shared more often than content that isn’t funny
- Funny material grabs people’s attention and makes your brand stand out
- People tend to remember something funny and are therefore more likely to remember your company
Be Careful Not To:
- Use humor in an irrelevant way
- Take away from your primary marketing message with humor that isn’t funny or relevant
- Use tasteless or offensive humor
Adding humor to your posts can set you apart from a sea of plain, forgettable content. Try using a funny story or a clever twist; readers will appreciate a fresh voice and are more likely to share your work.
How about you? Do you use humor in your marketing? If not, why not give it a shot?
Originally published April 12, 2023; republished August 20, 2025, to update content and add videos.
As a Visual Digital Marketing Specialist for New Horizons 123, Julie works to grow small businesses, increasing their online visibility by leveraging the latest in internet and video technologies. She specializes in creative camera-less animated video production, custom images, content writing, and SlideShare presentations. Julie also manages content, blog management, email marketing, marketing automation, and social media for her clients.
LOL on Southwest; budget US airlines are about the most clever in the world as far as their marketing departments and overall friendly vibe. I love it.
Great points all around Julie. Bloggers need to lighten up overall, and express that lightening with some humor at least here and there. I’ve been known to inject colorful travel analogies into my blog posts from time to time because people love to laugh and I enjoy getting people to chuckle.
Hi Ryan,
I get a kick out of Squatty Potty, LOL. In a world without many things to laugh about, using humor is a welcome change. I have been told I have my father’s sense of humor which I carry like a badge of honor in his memory.