HubSpot Humor Marketing Guide for “Boring” Brands

When many teams think of humor in marketing, they think of big, flashy brands. But the classic HubSpot article on “boring” businesses using jokes proves that almost any company can be funny, smart, and still on-brand. This guide turns those lessons into a practical how-to plan you can apply today.

Instead of relying on loud campaigns, you will learn how to inject wit into your content, social posts, and ads so your audience actually wants to pay attention.

Why Humor Works: Lessons from HubSpot Brands

The brands featured in the original HubSpot humor marketing roundup share a few simple traits.

• They sell products people do not find exciting.
• They compete in crowded, price-driven markets.
• They use humor to stand out without abandoning their core message.

Humor works because it:

• Makes people remember you instead of your competitors.
• Humanizes complicated or dry topics.
• Creates shareable content at a lower cost than traditional ads.

These principles are universal. Whether you sell insurance, software, or industrial tools, light-hearted content can make your brand feel approachable and modern.

Step 1: Define a HubSpot-Style Humor Strategy

Before you try to be funny, you need a clear strategy. The most effective campaigns in the HubSpot examples are simple and focused.

Clarify your brand personality

Decide where your humor should sit on a spectrum:

• Dry and clever – subtle wordplay, wink-and-nod tone.
• Playful and friendly – light jokes, self-awareness, no harsh sarcasm.
• Bold and outrageous – risky, high-energy humor for audiences that expect it.

Most brands that follow a HubSpot-inspired approach do best with dry or playful humor, not shock value.

Set rules for appropriate humor

Write a short internal guide so your team stays aligned:

• Topics that are always off-limits.
• Words, phrases, or memes you will never use.
• Approval steps for any edgy or experimental joke.

Having these rules in place gives you room to be creative while protecting your brand.

Step 2: Find Everyday Moments You Can Make Funny

You do not need a Super Bowl ad budget to apply the HubSpot playbook. Focus on small, everyday marketing touchpoints.

Start with boring customer moments

List places where customers usually tune out:

• Error pages and 404 screens
• Login screens and loading messages
• Form confirmations and thank-you emails
• Invoice notices, renewal reminders, and receipts

These touchpoints are perfect for a small joke, a clever line, or a visual gag.

Turn product pain points into punchlines

Many brands featured in the HubSpot article poke fun at the very frustrations their products solve. To do this:

1. Write out your top three customer headaches.
2. Exaggerate each one in a playful way.
3. Contrast the exaggerated pain with your simple solution.

This structure keeps your humor anchored to real value, not just random jokes.

Step 3: Build HubSpot-Inspired Creative Concepts

Now you can turn your strategy into actual creative ideas. Each idea should be:

• Simple enough to explain in one sentence.
• Clearly tied to your product or brand benefit.
• Flexible across channels (social, email, ads, website).

Use unexpected formats

The brands highlighted in the HubSpot source page often win attention by twisting familiar formats, such as:

• Serious-looking corporate ads that deliver a silly punchline.
• Overly dramatic videos about tiny, everyday annoyances.
• Formal disclaimers or legal language turned into light jokes.

Take a standard marketing asset you already use and brainstorm how you could flip its tone.

Write a simple creative brief

Before you produce anything, draft a short creative brief:

• Audience: Who should laugh at this, and why?
• Insight: What true frustration or belief are you tapping into?
• Message: What should they remember about your product?
• Tone: How close are you to your usual voice?

This keeps your idea grounded and prevents jokes that feel random or off-brand.

Step 4: Create Copy That Balances HubSpot Humor and Clarity

Great humorous marketing, including the campaigns HubSpot features, is easy to read and impossible to misinterpret.

Write punchy, clear headlines

Strong humorous headlines often follow this structure:

• Setup: State a common belief or situation.
• Twist: Add an unexpected angle, exaggeration, or contradiction.
• Product tie-in: Explain how your offer changes that situation.

Test headlines out loud. If you have to explain the joke, it will not land.

Use visual contrast to reinforce the joke

Many examples in HubSpot content use visuals to carry half the humor. You can:

• Pair serious, corporate imagery with light or cheeky copy.
• Show overly dramatic before/after scenes.
• Use small, funny details in backgrounds or labels.

Visual contrast lets you keep your written copy concise and clear.

Step 5: Test, Measure, and Refine Like HubSpot

Even the best joke can fail with the wrong audience. Treat humorous content like an experiment.

Run small, low-risk tests

Start in channels where you can adjust quickly:

• Organic social posts
• Email subject lines
• Small-budget digital ads
• Website banners or pop-ups

Watch engagement, click-through, replies, and qualitative comments.

Use data to guide your humor style

After a few tests, compare performance against your standard content:

• Which tone (dry vs. playful) performs best?
• Do certain audiences respond better than others?
• Does humor improve conversions, or only top-of-funnel engagement?

This is the same analytical mindset you see in many HubSpot case studies: creativity plus consistent measurement.

Step 6: Build a Sustainable HubSpot-Style Humor System

Once you find a tone that works, turn it into a repeatable process so your team can keep producing effective, funny content.

Create a reusable idea bank

Document ideas and winning examples in a shared space:

• Top-performing headlines and taglines.
• Screenshots of campaigns that worked.
• Customer quotes that could inspire future jokes.

Treat this as your internal “HubSpot humor swipe file” to accelerate new concepts.

Train your team and partners

Share your guidelines with writers, designers, and agencies so everyone understands your humor strategy. Include:

• Do and don’t examples.
• Tone of voice rules.
• Approval workflows for public content.

Well-trained teams can move faster while staying on brand.

Bonus: Combine HubSpot-Style Humor with SEO

Humor is powerful, but it becomes even more effective when paired with strong search optimization.

• Write helpful, keyword-driven guides, then layer in light jokes so content feels human.
• Use humorous examples in long-form pages to keep readers engaged.
• Pair educational content with playful visuals to reduce bounce rates.

For deeper SEO strategy support that complements a HubSpot-informed content approach, you can explore agencies such as Consultevo, which specialize in performance-focused optimization.

Putting It All Together

The brands showcased in the original HubSpot humor article prove that even the dullest industries can become memorable with the right twist of personality. You do not need outrageous stunts or huge budgets; you need clear strategy, small creative risks, and consistent testing.

Start with one channel, one campaign, and one simple joke that connects directly to your product value. Measure the impact, refine the tone, and gradually build a recognizable, witty brand that your audience actually enjoys hearing from.

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