By Alan Kravitz
Have you seen the latest video promoting the American Jewish World Service (AJWS)? If you haven’t, I urge you to check it out here – no matter what religion you are (or aren’t.) Why? Chances are, your favorite star is in it – everyone from those you’d expect in a Jewish organization’s PSA (Jerry Seinfeld) to those you wouldn’t (Lindsay Lohan.) And chances are, the video will make you laugh. Hard.
It was made by Hollywood uber-director Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin) in honor of AJWS’s 25th anniversary. This is a serious organization doing seriously important things – and celebrating a big milestone, too. The video could have been very emotional and/or historical, and that probably would have been fine. But Apatow deserves a lot of credit for taking a route that has no doubt offended some. Not only does the video use humor, but it also does the very politically incorrect thing of bringing up Judaism’s biggest stereotypes (Sarah Silverman alone has staked her career on that.)
Yet that’s why the video works – and that’s what makes this the video that everyone in the Jewish world seems to be talking about. Sure, the star power helps. But the one word that keeps popping up in the responses over and over again is “funny” – and “funny” gets noticed.
Though humor has long been a promotional staple in most fields, many non-profits have always been scared to use it. Even here, AJWS was not involved in making the video. Apatow did it on his own and gave it to them. But AJWS is certainly using the video prominently on its website, and as a promotional tool.
Will the video lead to an increase in donations and involvement? Only time will tell. But scores of people who had probably never even heard of AJWS are now at least familiar with the great work this organization does. That ought to make everyone at AJWS smile – even the ones who aren’t laughing.
Have you ever used humor to promote your very serious mission? How has it worked for you?
Alan Kravitz is a copywriter who specializes in writing customized web content, direct mail appeals and print materials for socially conscious organizations. Contact him at 617-697-7397, or alank@infiniteinkwell.com.
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