A sense of humor is an integral part of relating to and connecting with our readers.

As an organization that strives to be relatable, humor helps us differentiate from competitors. Tech doesn’t have a lot of competition in the funny lane, so we have an opportunity to pave a path and further actualize our brand personality. People should think of Sprout and feel delighted. Incorporating glimmers of humor into our marketing assets helps create a positive association with our brand.

How humor aligns our brand tenets

Tone

Sprout’s sense of humor is witty, natural and observational. It’s characterized by a confident and charismatic delivery, making stiff topics engaging—not unlike a late-night talk show host. On the humor spectrum of cheesy camp counselor to buttoned-up business, Sprout represents the reasonable middle. We find the nuggets of comedy in social commentary, personal stories and culturally relevant topics our readers relate to. We use humor to keep our audience engaged and to be seen as a trustworthy leader who understands them and their world. We’re not too unserious, but we know when to give a wink.

The Dos & Don'ts

DON'T be self-deprecating

Although self-deprecation is a way to relate to others, it often undercuts your authority. Repeatedly making jokes about our brand or product can cause readers to question our expertise and our quality. We are masters of our industry and we don’t want to diminish that for the sake of a joke.

DO keep it positive

Jokes have the power to change moods or make someone feel seen and understood. Humor can create a sense of camaraderie between our customers and us. If we lead with moody jokes, we could alienate or even divide our audience. Positive humor can create a safe space for our readers to share an experience and feel like a part of our world.

DON’T mudsling

While we do want to make our value clear and highlight the difference between ourselves and our competitors, we never attack competitors. We can intelligently joke about the industry or recents news, but we don’t joke about specific brands, individuals or events that affect real people in our space (i.e. tech layoffs, brand crises, market swings, etc).

DO be ethically conscious

We use humor as a way to be inclusive and bring more people into the conversation. With that intent, our sense of humor aligns with our values as a business—no jokes come at the expense of any community or identity, we’re not above giving context and educating.

The right place for humor