From dad to copywriter: Three simple steps to using puns without being punny, punchy or punemployed
Nearly three years ago, boy band One Direction announced their split and broke millions of teenage hearts. But the lesser known and arguably greater tragedy of the day occured in newsrooms around the world. There, copywriters chuckled to themselves, “One Direction went in… different directions.”
The pun is a controversial form of art. It inspires applause and cringes. However, if you know how to handle a pun with care, the response may always be in your favor. Here’s our three-step solution that will turn puns from elevated dad jokes into genius wordplay that sells (or, at least, tell you how to sneak spinach into your kid’s lasagna):
1. Break it down
Historically, pun mastery was a sign of intellect that challenged the rules of language. Unfortunately, this means that the common pun doesn’t necessarily translate well to the average audience, which reads at a middle school level. Puns often force readers to stop and think, creating disruptions to the natural flow of language. It’s important to avoid these disruptions, which become unsavory gaps in a conversation between your brand and your audience.
DO: Reduce the complexity of your puns. Pinpoint a topic or a word that clearly relates to or rhymes with your subject. Online tools like RhymeZone can help.
DO NOT: Move more than a step away from the subject of your wordplay. For example, a canyon pun is suitable for a sentence about the Grand Canyon (direct reference). An erosion pun? Not so much.
2. Layer it
Once you have the basic topic or idea behind your pun, it’s time to give it context. Capitalizing on the first pun that comes to mind may be tempting, but even a widely understood pun needs substance — without being obvious. Puns about having a GRAND time at the Grand Canyon? We’ve heard them all before. This is the step that copywriters in the One Direction frenzy missed by a landslide.
DO: Brainstorm a list of options. Branch off from the first phrase you create and discover new ways for words to fit together. Then, select the one that truly hits a home run.
DO NOT: Proceed without a second opinion. Even one reaction can tell you if your wordplay is cringeworthy or clever. It’s always better to ask a coworker to lend an ear than share something corny with the world.
3. Spice up the rest
When you’re ready to integrate the phrase you’ve settled on into your copy, don’t forget that the rest of your sentence should be just as powerful. The best cure for a case of cringes is subtlety.
DO: Give your sentence meaning. If the main takeaway is the fact that there’s a pun, it’s likely stealing the show. Sure, your pun can take a lead, but it shouldn’t be the only starring role. It’s more of a badass Avenger that doesn’t get its own feature film, you know?
DO NOT: Overemphasize the “punny” part of your sentence. Your copy is more than its pun.
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