The document discusses how humor works by disturbing expectations and norms, and argues that brands struggle to be funny because they are driven by sense and objectives. It provides tips for incorporating more humor into creative work, including making time for creative play, knowing when to step away from strategy, collaborating with comedy specialists, and thinking small to experiment with funny ideas. The overall message is that true humor comes from nonsense, so brands need to make room for nonsense in their creative processes.

1. IS THERE SENSE IN
HUMOUR?
Year of the Monkey Conference 2016
Will Rolls
Grabarz & Partner

2. YES.

3. YES.
OF COURSE THERE IS.

4. YES.
OF COURSE THERE IS.
HUMOUR IS POWERFUL,
VIRAL, INTELLIGENT.

6. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF
SUPERBOWL AD:
FUNNY ONES AND
UNSUCCESSFUL ONES.

7. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.

8. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.

9. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.
HERE‘S SOME FUNNY STUFF.

10. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.
HERE‘S SOME FUNNY STUFF.

11. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.
HERE‘S SOME FUNNY STUFF.
HOW TO BE FUNNY.

12. FUNNY STUFF WORKS FOR BRANDS.
HERE‘S SOME FUNNY STUFF.
HOW TO BE FUNNY.

13. WHY DO WE FIND
FUNNY A CHALLENGE?

14. ‚WE‘ = CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS.
VS
Picture credit: Tom Carmony

15. ‚WE‘ = CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS.
VS
Picture credit: Tom Carmony
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?

16. BRANDS RARELY MAKE
PEOPLE LOL.

18. „In YouTube or Instagram rankings of channels by number of
subscribers, corporate brands barely appear.
Only three have cracked the YouTube Top 500. Instead you’ll
find entertainers you’ve never heard of, appearing as if from
nowhere“
HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW, MARCH 2016

19. HOW HAVE WE BEEN BEATEN BY A
BUNCH OF AMATEURS?

20. LET‘S UNDERSTAND
HUMOUR A BIT BETTER.

21. HERE‘S THE SCIENCE BIT...

22. HUMOUR IS
DISTURBANCE OF:
THE EXPECTED
THE NORMAL
THE SENSIBLE
Picture credit: Reigh Leblanc

23. EXPERIMENT:
PEOPLE REQUIRED TO PICK UP
SEQUENCE OF INCREASED
WEIGHTS.
THE HEAVIEST ONE: HOLLOW.
Picture credit: John Piekos

24. PRETTY MUCH EVERY JOKE USES
DISTURBANCE:
„AN ENGLISHMAN, IRISHMAN AND SCOTSMAN...“
„WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?“
„KNOCK KNOCK!“ „WHO‘S THERE?“
„WHAT‘S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A...?“

25. LOOKING FOR SENSE IN
DISTURBANCE?
GOOD LUCK.

26. UNFORTUNATELY, WE‘RE IN THE
BUSINESS OF MAKING SENSE.
Picture credit: Monika Hoinkis

27. OUR DISADVANTAGE:
WE ARE DRIVEN BY
SENSE AND OBJECTIVE.

28. HERE‘S OUR CULTURE OF SENSE.
The idea
„Makes sense“ „Makes sense“ „Makes sense“ „Makes sense“
The
business
problem
The brief
The
strategy

29. THE BEST WE CAN HOPE FOR:
SENSIBLE IDEAS WITH A FUNNY TWIST.
RATHER THAN IDEAS THAT ARE
ESSENTIALLY FUNNY.

33. WAIT, BUT THAT‘S
CULTURE.
WE SHOULD BE
MAKING CULTURE.

34. EASIER SAID THAN DONE...

35. SOME SMALL STEPS.

36. 1. WORK/PLAY
BALANCE.

37. Picture credit: Arjun R

38. HOW MUCH CREATIVE PLAY DO YOU
HAVE WHEN YOU‘RE AT WORK BUT NOT
WORKING?

39. CREATIVE PLAY:
BANDS.
WRITING STORIES.
STANDUP COMEDY.
OPEN MIC.
ACTING.
DO SENSELESS STUFF AND HAVE FUN.

40. 2. STRATEGY IS THE
ENEMY OF NONSENSE.

41. STRATEGISTS USE SENSE TO CONNECT
PROBLEMS TO SOLUTIONS.
PROBLEM STRATEGY(AND THEY LOVE
ARROWS)

42. AND SHOULD HAVE THE JUDGEMENT
FOR WHEN TO LEAVE THE PROCESS.
PROBLEM STRATEGY

43. 3. SENSIBLE IDEAS +
FUNNY TWIST ARE GOOD.

44. 3. SENSIBLE IDEAS +
FUNNY TWIST ARE GOOD.
FUNNY IDEAS + SENSIBLE
TWIST: BETTER.

45. Nonsense idea
Twist that
makes
sense
Idea that makes sense Nonsense
twist
SAUZA 901 TEQUILA

46. Picture credit: Japanexperterna.se

47. 4. COLLABORATE WITH
SPECIALISTS.

48. BEING FUNNY IS A SKILL, AND YOU
SHOULD WORK WITH PROS.

49. „IT‘S OK. I‘M FUNNY ENOUGH THANKS“
THE CREATIVE EGO.

50. Chrisopher Guest
Bank of America
Steve Coogan
Fosters
Jerry Seinfeld
Acura

51. 5. THINK SMALL

52. GOT A CONTENT STRATEGY?
USE IT TO TRY STUFF OUT.
FAIL FAST, FAIL FUNNY.

53. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
PEOPLE LOVE STATISTICS.
PUB IDEA: @MADEUPSTATS!
65,000 FANS.

54. YOUR CONTENT
STRATEGY HAS ROOM
FOR NONSENSE.

55. A NICE SENSIBLE OVERVIEW
1. POINTLESS, CREATIVE PLAY.
2. STRATEGISTS: KNOW WHEN TO STOP BEING STRATEGIC.
3. FUNNY IDEAS WITH SENSIBLE TWISTS.
4. COLLABORATE WITH COMEDY SPECIALISTS. EARLY DOORS.
5. THINK SMALL, MESS ABOUT AND HAVE FUN.

56. THERE IS NO SENSE IN HUMOUR.
THAT‘S WHERE THE FUN COMES FROM.