If you’ve been on TikTok at all in the past few months, you’re familiar with the chaotic Duolingo owl, Duo. The green bird has been seen twerking on an office table, practicing pickup lines for Dua Lipa, and throwing shade at Google Translate. But the language-learning app is not the only one to take a humorous approach towards humanizing their brand, and given their success with this strategy, they surely won’t be the last.
Who else?
The Washington Post has been killing the game by keeping news stories simple and engaging with popular TikTok sounds. (How else do you think I found out about Novak Djkovic, his vaccination status, and the Australian Open?) And earlier this month I saw Lionsgate lean into the popular Andrew Garfield thirst traps by posting a video of him in Hacksaw Ridge that quite literally blessed my feed. Each account has 1.2 million and 3.7 million followers, respectively.
Aside from crafting their own self-made videos, it’s easier than ever for brands to build off themselves just by commenting on other TikToks. Just the other day, I saw Forbes comment on a TikTok made by Axel Webber, a goofy 22-year-old living in an itty-bitty New York City apartment who was rejected from Juilliard but just signed a modeling contract. (Yes, it’s a bit of a rollercoaster. You can read up on it more here.) Forbes’ comment, which reads, “Put in the work, put in the hours and take what’s ours 😤,” is a reference to a popular TikTok sound that might seem a bit random at first. However, if you consider the business magazine’s reputation of supporting entrepreneurs, it makes sense that they would actively engage themselves with individuals who are up and coming, like Axel.
It should be noted that companies utilizing Gen-Z humor is not new, nor is it exclusive to TikTok. On Twitter, Wendy’s is well-known for their roasts and iHop has been keeping up with the latest musical trends by pushing pancakes.
Is this comedic strategy effective?
In short: yes. After all, lightheartedness thrives on casual platforms like Twitter and TikTok where content is posted in a fast-paced environment and users can quickly add to conversations. This differs from the posting style and frequency of platforms like Facebook or Instagram, where users typically only highlight their best moments and don’t post as often.
On TikTok specifically, the user demographics skew on the younger side with nearly half (47.4%) of users in the U.S. falling between the 10-29 age range. This is why Gen-Z humor is so widespread on this platform: companies know who they’re talking to. Plus, people in general like being entertained rather than just having a product or service pitched to them.
TikTok also triumphs with engaging these audiences. The app has an engagement rate of 5.30% on accounts with 100,000+ followers, compared to Instagram at 1.10% and Twitter at 0.30%. This makes TikTok a prime spot to connect with a younger audience in a meaningful way.
If humor works so well, why isn’t every company using it?
Jokes can be hit or miss, and they have to align with the company’s values for it to resonate with the target audience.
“Humor can be an effective approach for some companies, in certain situations,” explained Jennie Donohue, a Senior Lecturer and Director of the Public Relations Concentration at UMass Amherst. “Ultimately, it comes down to branding. What’s your brand’s personality, and how do you communicate it in an authentic way; a way that stays true to the company and what it wants to accomplish while also connecting with your target audiences?”
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