Funny business: The Economist
Where smart money meets smarter wordplay
My favourite counter to the idea that comedy is just for 'fun' brands devoid of gravitas is the White on Red campaign for The Economist. Not only has it been running since 1988 - offering living proof that 'creative wear out' doesn't exist - but the joke remains fresh, with copywriters consistently finding new and amusing ways to say the same thing.
Comedy needs tension and The Economist offers this in spades. While news brands typically seek to broaden their readership, White on Red speaks to a core feature of The Economist's 'personality'. It is stridently elitist, suggesting only a select few 'get' this brand (either metaphorically or literally, by mail or app).
The Economist borrows from the "Oxbridge intellectual comedy" tradition. Think of entertainers like David Mitchell, Michael Palin, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry who came through Oxford/Cambridge universities, starting at Footlights or student comedy clubs. They are deeply rooted in classical education and literary references, yet connected to the brash comedy circuit, allowing them to combine high and lowbrow culture with worldly confidence.
Oxbridge intellectual comedians share the following traits with the Economist:
Dry, sophisticated wit
Eccentric, yet authoritative
Intellectual yet clear and straightforward
Often sardonic or deadpan
British, yet worldly
Now look at this ad:
The tone directly reflects the product - readers spot its playful illustrations and witty asides without needing to see the logo. Even its style guide has an eccentric pun in the header ("To infinitives and beyond"). These details show that people enjoy writing it as much as subscribers enjoy reading it - the moments of humour are like in-jokes between reader and writer, despite addressing serious economic, social and geopolitical issues.
Some thoughts for brands that want to experiment with this kind of humour
To what degree are you a British, yet internationally focussed brand?
Who are you for (and conversely who are you not for)?
Do you have a point of view on your category? How confident are you in sharing it?
In what ways do people enjoy using your product or service (it doesn’t have to be fun)?