By John Sisson (President)
To fun, or not to fun, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous dullness, or to take arms against a sea of requirements, and by opposing, end them?
There’s always pressure for results in business and a seriousness in how marketing can and does make a difference. Does this mean that we should take ourselves too seriously?
“To grunt and sweat under a weary life.”
There’s pressure for lift, ROI, hits, likes, shares and a thousand other KPIs. I like to think we can work hard and take marketing seriously, but have fun at the same time. I suppose there’s a potential risk to brand, let alone life and limb, in tongue in cheek.
“Aye, there’s the rub.”
But, I also find that when fun is injected into work, or is just naturally part of it, results can actually improve.
So, having insulted Shakespeare and the countless readers and historians who work hard to protect his good name, let me only point out that I think he would agree with me.
(If you’re a Shakespearean scholar and actually read this, please weigh in on that thought.)
(Also, if you wrote a book full of cocktails named after Shakespeare, please weigh in as well.)
The idea that fun is a motivator for better work comes in many flavors, but three that I’ve personally seen work wonders.
First, and maybe the easiest, is that the “thing” is fun to market.
That thing could be a product or company or idea. Doesn’t matter.
Let’s take Cheetos, for instance. I can only imagine the crowd sitting around thinking about how to create the marketing for that cheesy goodness that comes in all those weird shapes. That’s how a cat with a British accent that encourages debauchery from normal people comes into existence, right? Fun!
Second, is that you’ve been given permission to step outside the bounds, even if the “thing” isn’t all that fun.
We recently did a project for Nationwide Insurance, with B2B work to attract financial advisors. Not Cheetos, and not really anything like Cheetos. But we were given permission to step outside the bounds. The resulting marketing was fun, and we had fun putting it together. I’m still eating the left over jelly beans.
Lastly, is that your group believes in fun.
Personally, I have never seen people work harder than when they approach work, not as work, but as fun. Be it a challenge or a competition, or just a desire to laugh at alternatives, even the most mundane marketing can be fun to put together if the team has fun as part of their DNA.
I know that if some of our email trails are any indication, this is a group born of insouciance. Love that about us!
I’m not going to talk downside, because to be honest, if you can’t take a joke, well, you know.
Sure, “Be all my sins remember’d.”
And no one would advocate everything is fun, or that it’s always appropriate, but what do you think? I’d love your opinion. Please comment, even if it’s to say you’re just not all that fun a person.
Apologies, again, to the Bard and to anyone who is against fun.
CONSIDER ALSO READING – Should Your Brand Be Using Infographics?
The post To Fun, Or Not To Fun: That Is The Question appeared first on Wilde Agency.
