The ROI on funny

I was watching TV with my kids last night, using TIVO as usual.  Between everyone's schedule we don't get much TV time, and we always fast forward commercials.  But several times, I noticed my kids scanning the fast forward and stopping to watch a commercial that they like.  Invariably a commercial they found funny.

Think about it.  TIVO fast forward really moves.  They are giving a little slice of their Gen Y brains to subliminally look for something that amuses them.  Stop, watch for 30 seconds, and then fast forward again.

This generation is going to be the best ever at avoiding messages they don't want.  They have the tools to control what they see and hear, and they have never known a world without banners, Google Ads, spam, and pop overs.  They are immune to it all.  They literally don't see it.  It's all background noise.  To say nothing of all the ads they just fast forward through on TIVO or never hear on their iPod.

But do something interesting, something that amuses them and they will stop what they are doing and come see.  And if they like it they will tell their friends.  And in today's world, that could mean 10,000 people directly with the push of a button.

Marketing to these kids as they start to achieve significant buying power in the next couple years is going to be very interesting.  Is your company ready to make funny commercials?  Maybe even make fun of itself?

Or is Marketing, serious stuff?

Comments

[George]

I have noticed a few ads that had scrolling text from bottom to top, some branding on the side, and just played generic music. I believe this is attempt to actually have their message shown during a TIVO fast forward fest. If people don't fast forward, they still see the message too.

Funny is good. Funny lasts. But I believe funny needs to have a purpose and convey a message.

Most funny to me lately: www.mytalkingstain.com.

[Stanley]

Not only will they watch it, they will want to watch it over, and over, and over. In marketing terms, talk about frequency!