This Movie Clip Smells ... Really
A Dummy's Puppet's Ramblings - from Chip Martin, Puppet
Mannequin American views and guidelines on marketing/PR trends plus bits of humor and interesting but useless information. For information on Chip's background, go to http://www.dale-brown.com/.
The Use of Humor in Business Settings
For my money, the use of humor is one of the most underrated tools in a business to business marketing/communications tool chest.
Humor creates rapport, defuses tough situations, endears you to co-workers, and puts hair on your chest. Well, maybe not the last one, but you get the idea. Too many business people think they have to act a certain way, a serious way, in order to be taken seriously. Of course that is sometimes true, but probably not as often as they may think.
Even in this wireless, tuned-in, 24/7 world of e-commerce and instantaneous global communications, business is still about relationships. And humor helps build and bond "relationships."
I've been invited to take part in serious business, sales, distributor and employee events for a lot of companies including J.I. Case, S.C. Johnson, Kohler Company, A.O. Smith, Tandy, G.E. Medical, Master Lock and many others. Often I'm on stage with the president of the company or another executive. I'm there to get attention, add some humor, reinforce key messages and help put management in a more favorable, approachable light. And it works.
(Me and a younger Dale appear with the President of A.O. Smith at an Employee Product Quality Meeting.)
What's the key to effective comedy in business settings? For my money, whenever possible, involve a monkey. Unfortunately that's not usually practical. So beyond that, people like people who do not take themselves too seriously. Making fun of yourself subliminally signals that you are confident, secure and easygoing. Who wouldn't want to do business with someone like that?
But you need not just use self-effacing humor to be effective; really, almost any type will work. Whether it is a joke you memorized, the quick wit of a well-timed jab or just a humorous observation, humor in the workplace works. This all said, a few words of caution are also in order:
Don't use stereotypes
Avoid racy humor
Avoid sexist humor
The bottom line: Lighten up! Crack a joke. Have some fun and don't be so serious. A light touch goes a long way. If you need help, just give me a call or email Dale at dale.l.brown@bmpr.com. He's had a hand in my corporate programs for quite a while.
Louie Loses His Head
Here's Dale and Louie the Jockey doing some entertaining and education during their "Comedy Writing" workshop. (Books and videos are still available at http://www.dale-brown.com/ )
What workshop attendees didn't see was this bit of "behind-the-scenes" puppet examination and diagnosis. In the photo below, Dale holds Louie's head while our friend and Mannequin American internist, Dan Fry, used a flashlight to analyze an elusive, intermittent squeak. The cure? Louie took two quick shots of silicone spray. The only side effect was that he slurred his words for next the couple of hours.
What's That Smell in the Movie Theatre? It's an Ad.
Popcorn, and perhaps body odor, are the scents usually associated with movie theatres. But in a European cinema you might just smell bread, chocolate or whatever else an advertiser wants you to. A company called Cinescent is giving marketers the chance to pump out the scents of their brands in German theaters, where it first tested the technology for Beiersdorf's Nivea. Exit polls showed a 515% rise in recall for the Nivea ad compared with moviegoers who saw the spot without the scent.
For the test, a specially-made 60-second spot showed a typical sunny beach scene with people lying around on deck chairs and sunbathing on towels while waves crashed and seagulls cried in the background. As people wondered what the ad was for, the scent of Nivea sun cream permeated the cinema and a Nivea logo appeared on screen along with the words "Nivea. The scent of summer."
The technique is dubbed "endorphin branding" and claims to provide dynamic psychological and emotional triggers that can enhance sales.
If they can do it for ads, eventually this technology may be available for the movies as well. Just think how the smell of gunpowder, burning rubber and sweat could have enhanced all those Rambo movies.
Only in America
Artist Peter Gronquist's designer weapons called "The Revolution Will be Fabulous: A Weapons of Mass Designer Show" were on display at Gallery 1988 this past May.
The collection includes guns, semi-automatics, chainsaws and rocket launchers clad in designer fabrics and adorned with luxury logos by Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Dior and others. Prices start at $3,000 for the weapons shown here. Once again proving that in American, anything can be called "art." Click here for more photos.
