Our society does find self-deprecating humor endearing. We enjoy when others reveal their life failures. Especially if it’s relatable to our own. Yet, can making fun of your business have benefits?
We’re thinking that to a limited extent it can. Sure, you don’t want to make fun of your employees, product or services. But then again, you just might want to!
Try this one out, for a restaurant: We have the slowest service in town!! WITH THE TAG LINE: that’s because we make each order individually with loving care! (This shows that you care about the food you serve and teaches that excellent food takes time. Course, it could also be used to cover-up your poor service management! LOL)
Or
How about this one for a Rock Band: Don’t come out to hear us tonight, WITH THE TAG LINE: Cause we turn the volume up way to LOUD! (This might really discourage some attendees, but will energies others. Most likely, those that will make a special effort to come out, enjoy your show, and give you the best reviews!)
Now, what would it be like if a City used self-deprecating humor about itself? Let’s say a City like the one I live in, Flint, Michigan. Most all of you have heard of my city of Flint; Murder capital of the country, but we are hoping to get world ranking soon! The most dangerous city in the country, flax vests await you at our border! When we say, built Flint Tough, we’re not talking about the cars! All our sports teams are named the “Flames,” cause they really are on FIRE! Come to Flint, if you’re looking for a job! Everyone else is too!
Okay, okay, I could go on and on, and although this kind of humor does point a negative spotlight on my city, could it also be used to promote the City?
Could negative promotion create positive results? This might be a dangerous idea in promoting a city, especial, one that has been working so hard to destroy its negative image.
Let’s think about it. Could promoting our bad boy image to the country be used as cover while we actually improve our city?! Could someday, the very people that laughed at our city actually begin to see that it is becoming a safe, honorable place to live?
Could exploiting our negative image allow us to laugh all the way to the bank? Could marketing our City’s “toughness”, be made profitable? Sad to say, I believe it could. Sad, because our country thrives on the bad boy image, the western shot’em up mentality, gansta want-a-be’s, and we could use that craze to make a profit!
I already regret writing this! Some of you will believe I’ve hit on a brilliant idea and actually go about implementing it. This is not what I want my City’s image to be. Not even for a PROFIT! NOT even if it cured our un-employment, not even if it put public services back on our streets.
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