Using humour is hugely effective in brand-building, and used widely by brands like McDonald’s (above), IKEA and VW.
But brands are notoriously reluctant to use it.
HSBC wanted to get to the bottom of this. On the back of a keynote speech I did at a WPP conference in Greece, they commissioned me to do a training session.
The training was held in London, going out live to the Middle East and Far East: in total, over 80 members of their brand and marketing team attended.
The result? As well as a stack of skills they could use, the offer of more work: ‘That was great,’ said their Group Head of Brand Strategy, Hamish Goulding. ‘Listen, are you free to do another project?’
Brand Strategy
Campaign Strategy
Tone-of-voice