Using Humor in Marketing Videos: Yes or No?

Some of the most memorable marketing videos of all time are funny. Old Spice, Dollar Shave Club, Squatty Potty — humor can make a brand famous overnight. But for every humor-driven success, there are ten videos that fell flat, confused the audience, or missed the mark entirely.

Here's a practical framework for deciding whether humor is right for your video.

When Humor Works Well

B2C products with broad appeal

Consumer products where the audience is diverse and the emotional stakes are low — fast food, consumer apps, household goods — are natural fits for humor. There's no right or wrong answer to "should I buy funny chips," so humor can freely influence the choice.

You're trying to go viral

Funny content is the most shareable content on the internet. If organic distribution is a goal, humor significantly increases the odds of shares, comments, and earned media.

You want to humanize a boring or intimidating category

Insurance, legal services, accounting, enterprise software — categories that people find dull or stressful can benefit enormously from a bit of levity. It lowers psychological barriers and makes the brand more approachable.

When to Avoid Humor

High-stakes B2B purchases

When a CFO is evaluating a six-figure software purchase, they're not in the mood for jokes. Humor can undermine the impression of seriousness and capability that B2B buyers are looking for.

Sensitive topics or industries

Healthcare, legal situations, financial distress — humor around these topics can backfire badly if it feels like you're not taking the client's situation seriously.

If it has to be explained

A joke that needs explaining isn't a joke. If you find yourself saying "it's funny because..." in the brief, it won't be funny in the video.

Types of Humor That Tend to Work

• Relatable frustration: "You know that feeling when you have to sit through a 2-hour meeting that could have been an email?" Everyone relates, nobody is offended.
• Mild absurdism: An office chair suddenly becoming sentient, or a robot struggling with human problems. Unexpected but harmless.
• Self-deprecating: Making fun of your own industry's clichés or complexity. Shows confidence and authenticity.

The Golden Rule

Humor should serve the message — not replace it. The best funny videos are funny AND clear. If you had to choose between funny and clear, choose clear. A video your audience understood but didn't laugh at will always outperform one they laughed at but didn't understand.

When briefing your video, share examples of humor styles you like. At ExpansionVideos, our scriptwriters are experienced at calibrating the right tone for each brand and audience.