There’s Nothing Like a Brand with a Sense of Humor.
Years ago I can remember driving on holiday from Brisbane to Noosa in Queensland, Australia, and the thing that stood out for me – above the Giant Pineapple and Australia Zoo – was one particular car wash. The fact that we used to approach with anticipation on each drive had nothing to do with the quality of the car wash or the brand identity, but had everything to do with the sign, which had an interchangeable message like the one above.

The guys who ran the car wash near Noosa had a great sense of humor. Each week they’d update the sign with another whacky message that had nothing to do with washing your car and everything to do with tickling your funny bone and creating a positive sense of connection with your brand. Like the folks at Horizon Auto Center above, the focus here isn’t on product, it’s not even on honesty (that’s right, I seriously doubt they even have any Nobel Peace Prizes to give away), it’s all about making that first impression positive and memorable.

The lesson here for brand managers and marketers is in the power of positive connection. Small brands can leverage big personalities to create an advantage for themselves in their markets. We welcome brands with personality into our lives, especially those which make us smile. And one thing we know for certain, in the challenge to make meaningful connections with our brands’ customers, the first and most important step is to be let in the door.

Dave Ansett, Brandamentalist
Creator of Art & Lover of Free Nobel Prizes.
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