Consumers want brands to have some personality on social media. In fact, 72 percent say they want brands to be funny on social.
But, we’re not all natural-born comedians, which makes the task of integrating humor extremely difficult. 88 percent of consumers don’t like it when brands mock their fans on social media, for instance.
You might think you’re funny by having a little banter with your followers. But you could be entirely wrong.
Hence, you have to be a little smarter when it comes to composing comical tweets. Because if you do get it right, not only do you have the chance of going viral with your posts but you could also develop a strong following that can’t wait to see your tweets every day.
So, here are some of the funniest brands on Twitter, which you can take inspiration from. And, well, just have a giggle at.
1. Moosejaw
Outdoor retailer, Moosejaw, has all the jokes. Take a look through their timeline, and you’ll see that their personality shines through.
It doesn’t feel like a brand is tweeting, it feels more like it’s just one of your pals.
These soccer players know what’s up. I’m gonna start taking dives at work to avoid meetings.
— Moosejaw (@MoosejawMadness) June 20, 2018
And they’re totally original. There are no gimmicks in sight.
My will contains only one request: I want a motion detector on my tombstone with a speaker that plays Thriller whenever anybody is around.
— Moosejaw (@MoosejawMadness) June 1, 2018
Whether an intentional strategy or not, what Moosejaw does really well is just being human.
Social media is supposed to be social and should be about presenting a real personality to forge real relationships with people.
Key Takeaways
- Always being professional is boring. Entertain your audience, and they will stick with you.
- Also, don’t just copy other successful brands on Twitter as people will see right through it. Instead, nurture your brand’s unique personality.
2. Netflix
Everybody loves to curl up and binge-watch some Netflix. And their hilarious tweets will make you enjoy the brand even more. Here they are poking fun at the recent IHOP debacle:
brb changing my name to Netflib
— Netflix US (@netflix) June 11, 2018
Props to Netflix for keeping it fresh and current.
But, their most excellent tweets come in the form of memes and GIFs of funny moments from their shows:
the invention of brunch pic.twitter.com/3bpkiq4T3Q
— Netflix US (@netflix) June 2, 2018
This is smart as memes and GIFs are super relatable, which is what makes them so funny.
What’s more, Netflix doesn’t just fire off random jokes. They use their own content as the basis of the joke.
Key Takeaways
- Incorporate your product into the joke to make your product more memorable and appealing.
- If you have a lot of content or imagery to work off of like Netflix, then don’t be afraid to use it.
3. KFC
KFC’s jokes on Twitter are crisp and tender. For starters, the only people they follow are 11 herbs and spices…
Five members of the Spice Girls and six guys named Herb.
Now, that subtle gag is on the brand in the most ridiculous way. In fact, all of their funny tweets revolve around their brand in some way.
They feature their infamous herbs and spices, The Colonel, or just good ol’ chicken:
Show how much you care with some Kentucky Fried GIFs: https://t.co/bTA0LaehLl pic.twitter.com/w8CQ9s0l7a
— KFC (@kfc) February 13, 2018
Similar to Netflix, their products or their brand get deeply embedded in every joke they make.
Key Takeaways
- You can be calculated in your use of humor, without it putting people off. KFC has over 1.3 million followers after all.
- Instead of sending out robotic, informational tweets all the time, have some fun with your brand.
4. Oreo
The cookie company has another interesting take on how to inject humor into your tweets. Oreo plays with influencers or celebrities:
Are there even other ice cream toppings? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://t.co/5GkflQ3444
— Oreo Cookie (@Oreo) May 2, 2018
Generation Z may have no idea who Justin Timberlake is. But the rest of us remember him from his ramen-noodle-haired days.
Oreo even banters with the accounts of popular TV shows:
Hi @NBCTheGoodPlace, we’re so forking excited to see you in our mentions! We’d like to invite you to meet with the Eternal Judge. pic.twitter.com/s7VOKPgLGf
— Oreo Cookie (@Oreo) June 7, 2018
Not only do these tweets have the lol-factor, but they also give Oreo the cool-factor. A little of the influencer’s cool rubs off on Oreo. As in I think “The Good Place” is a cool show, therefore Oreo must be cool. Plus, the tweets are just sarcastic, funny, and punny.
Key Takeaway
- It’s one thing to banter with your audience, it’s on another level if you can get celebs or influencers to joke around with you. This kind of thing works wonders for your Twitter cred.
5. Greggs
For some reason, Brits have a weird, emotional connection to the bakery chain, Greggs. The funny thing is, Greggs knows it, and they play up to it, especially on Twitter.
They shared this sorry sight not so long ago:
Alexa, what is ‘heartbreak’? https://t.co/1GJ42WendJ
— Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) June 11, 2018
And here they are discussing what it means to be British:
Team GB 🇬🇧 (Greggs Britain) https://t.co/P3OuNZh7fJ
— Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) June 8, 2018
They’re so good at interacting with fans that they go the opposite of the snarky route. It’s basically just a big love-fest, and they certainly have a GSOH.
Key Takeaways
- Humor can help people form a strong connection with brands.
- Bear in mind that funny doesn’t always mean shady. If that’s not your style, try some tongue in cheek jokes instead.
6. Seamless
People love to post funny memes about food on social media. You’ve probably seen a bunch and thought, yep, that’s me haha I’m a slob.
Well, online food ordering service, Seamless, is totally in on that trend.
Take a look:
“What are some of your hobbies & interests?”
Me: pic.twitter.com/QPyNY6hDdk— Seamless (@Seamless) June 22, 2018
They are food meme queens, and it’s super relatable and funny. I mean, who doesn’t relate to this…
It’s settled then. pic.twitter.com/03auBKu2o8
— Seamless (@Seamless) June 14, 2018
Meme culture is popular, so by using so many memes, as well as creating their own memes, Seamless increases the chance of getting likes and shares on Twitter.
Key Takeaways
- Don’t be afraid to jump on the Internet culture bandwagon. But make sure you post memes, etc. in a timely manner because what’s viral or trending online can change at lightning speed.
- Or be like Seamless and post content that’s going to be evergreen.
7. Wendy’s
The restaurant chain went viral last year after starting several beefs with other famous brands on Twitter. Unsurprisingly, they’re still at it.
Whoever is in charge of their account is the queen of sassy clapbacks. But, the best thing is, others are now having their say on the feuds and basically poking the bear:
We already put out a whole tape
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 13, 2018
What they’re doing is working. Wendy’s continues to grab attention and engage Twitter users with all the shade they’re throwing.
Key Takeaways
- People like a little sarcasm and shade, as long as it doesn’t go too far. They also love to share their opinions on Twitter. So, just like when mom and dad got divorced, Wendy’s is cleverly getting users to pick sides in their spats.
- If people choose their camp, amazing. If they don’t, it’s still good because at least people are talking about them.
8. innocent drinks
You may be hesitant to post jokes all the time. Ultimately, you are a company that’s trying to sell something and not Amy Schumer.
If this resonates with you, then you’ll be interested in innocent drinks’ Twitter account. They seem to mix both funny and informative seamlessly.
Here’s one of their more serious (and philanthropic) tweets:
You can help Friends of the Earth reverse bee decline by getting outside and spotting bees. https://t.co/dh9HYc6s0u
— innocent drinks (@innocent) June 12, 2018
Here’s one of their jokey tweets:
This card only works if your dad is a seahorse.#FathersDay pic.twitter.com/oJEzSNv7AU
— innocent drinks (@innocent) June 17, 2018
The people at innocent drinks do an excellent job at showing their brand in a favorable light. They’re like the perfect partner, smart, funny, and kind.
Key Takeaways
- Adopt the right blend of humor and info in your tweets. And make sure the same thread of personality runs through both types of tweets or else your account will seem fragmented.
- It may take some time to work out the exact mix for your brand, but it’ll be worth it.
9. National Library of Scotland
Oh man, the National Library of Scotland is hilarious. Even better, you wouldn’t expect it from such an institution.
They post countless funny Scots words that look totally made up but are, in fact, real:
And here’s one of our favourite-sounding #Scots words *ever*#Scotswordery #FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/eUxAjLgrDs
— National Library of Scotland (@natlibscot) June 22, 2018
It’s quite endearing actually. And I imagine these posts are funny for Scots who have an attachment to these words, along with people who aren’t Scottish who find the language funny (in the best way possible).
They are also the experts at making smart and cultural jokes:
Can someone tell us what is going on here?
(As seen in a comparative religions book from 1717) #Dogmanstar #Fridayfeeling #Scotland pic.twitter.com/qqaqOXh7kp
— National Library of Scotland (@natlibscot) June 22, 2018
It’s refreshing to see a brand make intelligent quips on social media. People like clever jokes because it makes them feel smart when they get it.
Key Takeaway
- Intelligent jokes will attract an intelligent audience which might be more suited to your brand. This could be beneficial to you as you’ll get followers who are more likely to take an interest in what you’re selling, too.
10. Charmin
Charmin is not afraid to cover a taboo topic, and they do it in such an amusing way.
Nobody wants to talk about toilet time, but the people at Charmin make it OK to do so. Kanye West’s “poopity scoop” song is probably their office anthem.
You’ve gotta love this:
Charmin gives you the best bang for your buck, pants down. #EnjoyTheGo pic.twitter.com/gMFYr9o0gt
— Charmin (@Charmin) May 14, 2018
Both the ad and the tweet are funny.
They also get everybody in on the joke by posting hilarious polls:
Lunch didn’t set well and your safety bathroom is occupied. Do you?#TweetFromTheSeat
— Charmin (@Charmin) March 2, 2018
Why not? To quote one of their hashtags, #everybodypoops.
Key Takeaway
- It must be difficult to market a product that people use in private, and a concept people don’t want to talk about. Take a sheet out of Charmin’s roll – if your brand relates to a topic that’s usually off-limits, use humor to open people’s minds.
11. Smirnoff
Like a drunk person at a party, Smirnoff is a lot of fun on social media. The vodka brand uses topical subjects to market their products on Twitter.
Here’s a crack about the recent royal wedding:
We heard there’s a wedding happening this weekend…show up royally, drink reasonably. #hatgame #happilyeverafter pic.twitter.com/HgGOGrFO1N
— Smirnoff US (@SmirnoffUS) May 19, 2018
Seems like a great hat to wear to a wedding tbh.
Here’s another event Smirnoff has a little fun with:
From one American icon to another, here’s to the #queen @BettyMWhite pic.twitter.com/Uw1zn6N82N
— Smirnoff US (@SmirnoffUS) January 18, 2018
But notice how they cleverly relate current topics and events back to their product. Well played Smirnoff. Cheers to you.
Key Takeaway
- Any good article on Twitter marketing will tell you to keep on top of what’s trending and get involved. But if you inject a little humor, too, you get double points.
12. MoonPie
A list of the funniest brands on Twitter would be incomplete if we didn’t talk about MoonPie. This brand’s tweets are as wonderfully weird as an episode of the Mighty Boosh.
For this reason, MoonPie’s tweets went viral recently, so much so that BuzzFeed even did a feature on the social media manager behind the account.
MoonPie continues to bless us with quirky tweets every day:
Imagine if we put a bunch of golden tickets inside some MoonPies and then maybe hired some well-dressed blue beings to live with us it would be good maybe
— MoonPie (@MoonPie) May 11, 2018
The thing is, these tweets are popular because lots of people have an off-the-wall sense of humor. There isn’t just one kind of funny. MoonPie seriously proves that.
Key Takeaway
- People like weird. That’s part of the reason why we all go on the Internet – to laugh with or at wackadoodles. Unconventional humor could help you gain popularity on Twitter.
Conclusion
The road to Twitter fame starts with a few cleverly constructed jokes. Many big brands have found this to be the case, having built an extensive audience on the back of their sense of humor.
Twitter follower decline means it has never been more important to grow your account organically.
When it comes to being funny on Twitter there are a few things, in particular, we can learn from these brands.
- You’ve got to be original. Nobody is going to respond positively to a brand cracking the same weak jokes like everybody else. It’s even OK to let your freak flag fly if that’s what your brand is all about.
- You’ve got to be relatable. If consumers can identify with your sense of humor, then they’re going to really dig your brand.
- Incorporate your brand or products into the joke. Otherwise, what’s the point? You are trying to sell something at the end of the day.
Now it’s your turn to experiment with humor and find your voice on Twitter. Go forth and make ‘em 😂.
More Twitter Marketing Resources:
- 22 Terrific Tips to Optimize Your Twitter Business Profile
- How to Be a Top Tweeter: 5 Tips That Will Get Your Tweets Noticed
- 7 Times Brands Went Viral for the Wrong Reasons This Year
Image Credit
Featured Image: Pixabay.com