Would healthcare marketing benefit from a sense of humor transplant?

Those noted comedians of the research world, The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, have shown that humor can drive stronger brand recall, emotional engagement, and, ultimately, effectiveness. In healthcare – a space defined by trust, credibility, and regulation – the stakes are even higher…

Earlier this year, we hosted a roundtable with marketers from leading healthcare brands, along with the consumer healthcare association PAGB, and sector experts from within our business, to scope out how healthcare marketing can enter the playful era.

The general consensus? Lightheartedness and emotional engagement can be powerful tools, even in a sector as serious as healthcare. From over-the-counter solutions to prescription products, the right tone can help brands achieve broader reach, cut through the noise, and build stronger emotional connections with their audiences.

Find the funny

Here are six key takeaways from our discussion to help brands navigate this space with confidence.

Firstly, dramatize the need. In healthcare, some of the richest creative territory lies in showcasing the problem. Whether it’s hayfever, cold and flu, or something more taboo like hemorrhoids, dramatising the issue can show empathy and deliver impact, without undermining efficacy.

The key? Avoid schadenfreude. Don’t make the joke at the patient’s expense. Instead, aim for relatability. A well-executed dramatization of the problem signals “we understand you” and builds connection while setting the stage for your solution.

Secondly, emotional engagement shouldn’t come at the cost of distinctiveness. Some brands have embraced emotional storytelling only to lose sight of what makes them unique. If you’re known for clinical authority (think the classic “white coat” identity), don’t throw it away in pursuit of a warmer tone.

Instead, evolve your messaging carefully. Emotional engagement and distinctive brand assets can coexist. The goal is not to swap one for the other, but to find a balance that amplifies both.

Thirdly, don’t forget that global humor is hard, so keep it local. Humor doesn’t always travel well. What’s funny in one culture might fall flat (or worse) in another. That’s why humor-led campaigns at global scale are so difficult to execute.

But local activations offer a huge opportunity. Social and digital channels are perfect places to inject playfulness and disruption. If you’re competing with the internet’s daily onslaught of memes and jokes, you need to be sharp, relevant, and relatable. The right local insight can make all the difference.

Fourthly, remember that humor is of its time, while playfulness lasts longer. One reason humor is so effective is that it taps into the moment – it’s culturally alive. But that strength is also a weakness. Jokes can date quickly. They can even get old when you’ve heard them one too many times.

So, when reviewing creative ideas, ask yourself: will this still work six months from now? A playful tone, rather than overt comedy, often has greater longevity. It can deliver the warmth and cut-through of humor without the shelf-life concerns.

Fifthly, think about category life-stage. Where your category sits in its lifecycle matters. If you’re entering a mature category, personality and tone can help differentiate your brand and re-engage consumers. In contrast, if you’re a first mover trying to establish credibility or normalize a conversation, a more serious tone might be essential.

Humor can help new categories break down taboos, but this is a fine line. Getting people comfortable talking about once-awkward topics is powerful, but credibility must come first.

And, sixthly, know your brand’s personality – and its boundaries. Some brands already really own playfulness in healthcare – think Specsavers, who just keep getting it right (and across different media formats). Some brands are just built with funny bones. Others are the calm, authoritative voice in a noisy or chaotic space. Both are valid.

The critical thing is knowing which one you are, and staying true to it. Not every brand needs to be laugh-out-loud funny. Lightness can come through tone, imagery, or character, without veering into full comedy.

And tread carefully in sensitive categories. Products like Viagra, nicotine patches, or even multivitamins can offer ripe ground for humor, but these often fall under regulatory scrutiny. The risk of appearing recreational, or undermining medical seriousness, is real.

Memorable messaging

The bottom line? The playful era is not a free-for-all. Healthcare marketing is ready to embrace a more human, emotionally engaging approach, and humor and lightheartedness could be essential to breaking through. But this new era requires thoughtfulness. Playfulness in healthcare isn’t about punchlines, it’s about empathy, relatability, and brand truth.

Done right, it can deepen trust, drive engagement, and make your message not only heard but remembered.