Humor works. It always has, and will always work. It’s the ultimate way in making a connection with someone. It’s why politicians crack jokes, or why a boss makes fun of a competitor, or a company uses funny advertising to sell products.
Actually, the latter has a bigger impact than we first imagine. The Happiness Report from Oracle have produced compelling evidence on just how much influence humor has on a brand, particularly those present in Asia Pacific (APAC).
Here are some data to start with:
- 44 per cent of APAC respondents said they have not felt true happiness for more than two years and 25 per cent don’t know, or have forgotten, what it means to feel truly happy.
- 85 per cent are looking for new experiences to make them smile and laugh. People in APAC are prioritizing health (78%), personal connections (77%), and experiences (45%) to gain happiness.
- To feel just an hour of true happiness, many people would give up friends (62%), part of their income (61%), and showering (55%) for a week.
- More than half of APAC respondents (56%) wish money could buy happiness, with 81 per cent willing to pay a premium for true happiness.
- 89 per cent attempted to find happiness in online shopping during the pandemic and while 47 per cent said that receiving packages made them happy.
It’s Funny Business
From the 5,000 people within APAC Oracle reached out, a vast majority believe that brands can do more to deliver happiness to their customers (76%). Such is the potency of humor that 91 per cent says that they prefer brands to be funny, with Gen Z and Millennials agreeing even more (both at 95 per cent).
The trouble is business leaders and brand owners are not always on board in using humor. Their concern is legitimate, however – being cancelled.
The APAC region and its incredibly diverse cultures is not an easy place to be funny in. What people laugh at in one country could cause a frown in another. Thus, crafting a brand with a sense of humor in this area is tricky, but the benefits are worthwhile.
Consider advertising, where 89 per cent of t are more likely to remember ads which are funny. But according to business leaders, only about 17 per cent of their offline ads and 14 per cent of their online ads actively use humor.
When it comes to social media, consumers are more likely to follow brands which are funny (74%), although only 12 per cent of companies say that the brands they have are funny in their social media accounts.
Business leaders also recognize two things: they fear using humor in customer interactions (76%), but realize that and see the opportunity in using humor to enhance customer experience (90%).
Make It Funny, Boss
56 per cent of people don’t believe they have a relationship with a brand unless it makes them smile or laugh and conversely, 49 per cent would walk away from a brand if it didn’t make them laugh or smile regularly.
