The Art of Jokelization
Make them laugh and you'll make them buy
From the bottom of my heart mind
Fresh stories from a Spanish Copywriter.
We all love a good laugh.
That’s one of the strongest statements I’m able to make: no one would say “I don’t like to laugh and have fun”.
No one.
“How” to make them laugh, that’s another story. There are people who can spend hours watching videos of people falling and have the greatest laugh. Others will go with stand-up comedians and, even among these people, some of them will enjoy some of the mainstream ones and others will go more underground.
We all know this. Instagram and TikTok know it too; they give you exactly what they think you'll like. I’m sure that if we compare memes, most of them will be different.
If you ask me, I LOVE comedy in any kind. I love the absurd (Monthy Payton, Airplane! or, in Spain, “La Hora Chanante”), but also have big time with comedians as Ricky Gervais.
If your brand can (and I’m sure you can always find a way), add humor to your communication strategy. Maybe it's a playful punch in some of the emails, or perhaps it's a creative campaign making fun of your competition or your industry.
But, this is a big risk, too. Especially when talking localization.
For 2 reasons, mainly:
The sense of humor differs from culture to culture, from country to country, and even from region to region. A joke about “paella” might be highly celebrated in Barcelona, but you wouldn't want to go that way in Valencia
Jokes are probably one of the most difficult things to translate/localize. There are so many things to keep in mind, including context, local references, wordplays or cultural sensitivities.
I’m gonna share a sneak peak about how I deal with this “jokelization”
Do you like the new word I just created here?
Understand the source joke: Is it fun for you? And, most importantly, is it going to be fun for your audience? Also, check if the structure, wordplay, and cultural references are going to be understood.
Adapt cultural references: Replace cultural references in the original joke with equivalents that make sense in the target culture. This may involve changing names, locations, or any other context-specific details.
Adjust language and wordplay: All languages have words and sentences with double (or triple) meanings, inside jokes, and old proverbs. Your job is to find the equivalent in your language or adjust the joke’s structure.
As an extra, it's always a good idea to check how other brands are doing it in this sense. Brands like KFC, Netflix, and Pepsi are great examples of it.
Market-in
Resources to reach your peak level.
💡 I came across this interesting article for anyone involve in localization processes. One of the final quotes is: “Cultural differences are not one-dimensional. Many aspects influence how we think, live together, and use digital products.”
Outside the desk
Where the magic really happens.
😂 Let’s keep the laugh alive! I discovered I Think You Should Leave, by Tim Robinson last week and didn’t expect that at all. It may not be everyone's taste, but if you like absurd humour and sketches, give it a try.
✈️ This week I just wrap up my plans for Christmas (I always love to have a future trip on my agenda). Mexico & Costa Rica, there we go!
💻 Working from home (or traveling) might get lonely, that’s why I’m being more active in different online communities. Hit “reply” to this email and let’s connect.
Make it global, baby
If you want to work with me, this is the way.
🚀 Want to take your brand to the next Spanish level? Hit the “reply” bottom and let’s talk.
📬 Want to appear in one of the next issues? Let’s see how can we work it out.
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All the best for the rest of your week,
💙 Ricky from Textonality.com 💙