6 Fun Social Media Branding Tips, Ryanair-Style

The way people use humor in social media branding these days is completely different from how it was used in TV commercials.

Back in the TV era, funny commercials were everywhere and easy to find. Where have all those gone now?

In fact, according to Oracle’s research, 90% of respondents said the most memorable ads are the funny ones. But these days, humor-based branding strategies aren’t as common as they used to be.

One reason is that the risk of being “canceled” is much higher than it used to be.

One of the root causes is that as they enter their productive years, early Gen Z and late millennials are becoming increasingly sensitive and acutely aware of social issues like class inequality, racism, LGBTQ+ issues, politics, climate change, environmental pollution, mental illness, “daddy issues,” the “sandwich generation,” high housing costs, rising food prices, annoying neighbors, and other issues that successfully make them feel overwhelmed thinking about life.

This awareness is also fueled by the instant nature of social media content. The information is brief, superficial, and can be commented on immediately. In other words, netizens’ tendency when processing information these days is to be “quick to receive, quick to judge.”

This tendency impacts netizens’ behavior, making them sensitive and prone to “canceling” people or brands perceived as tone-deaf and out of touch with current events.

So, if your brand (or even you yourself) still wants to try cracking jokes in this era of heightened sensitivity, you can take a cue from Ryanair’s formula below.

6 Funny Social Media Branding Formulas, Ryanair Style

Honesty

The key and number one rule before your brand can try to be funny: YOU MUST BE HONEST.

What exactly does “honest” mean here? In this context, it means the narrative you build isn’t forced, contrived, stiff, or trying too hard. We’ll discuss “trying too hard” further in point five.

Sarcasm

Don’t confuse this with satire. Here, Ryanair isn’t playing it safe with subtle jabs—they directly mock netizens. Thanks to the intelligence and sensitivity of their social media branding team, netizens actually love being roasted by Ryanair’s Instagram and Twitter admins. In fact, the netizens’ reactions are extremely positive—because, as mentioned in point number one,

They’re funny because they speak the truth.

Acceptance

As a low-cost airline, Ryanair doesn’t deny that they’re not a perfect airline—let alone the best in the world. Instead, they embrace every shortcoming they have. Like row 11, which has no window, or the cramped legroom. 

Armed with a consistent sarcastic narrative, Ryanair now freely jokes about passengers who complain on social media—especially those with the “pay cheap, expect the best” mentality. 

Relatable

In addition to making sarcastic jokes with netizens, Ryanair also likes to ride the wave and roast trending topics on social media.

For example, they roasted DJ Khalid by calling him DJ Khalories, and offered a “random seat allocation” option when the Tinder app was down. This is what keeps Ryanair relevant to current trends—through memes, of course.

“Don’t Try” —Charles Bukowski

Ryanair’s jokes always feel natural, because the best way to be funny is not to try too hard to be funny. They also don’t seem to be constrained by corporate guidelines that require an all-positive tone of voice. This is precisely the hurdle many social media branding efforts face out there.

Be Aware of the Current Situation

This is the most important thing besides the number one rule. None of Ryanair’s comedy would “land” if they didn’t care about current issues.

There was one time when Ryanair had a flight to Tel Aviv, Israel, and when they landed, the announcement actually said, “We’re approaching Palestine.”

Israelis were upset, but people around the world ended up loving Ryanair even more. Ryanair’s ability to position itself appropriately within an issue made netizens less sensitive to the matter and actually enjoy Ryanair’s jokes.

So, is your brand ready to be as playful as Ryanair? The process won’t be easy—it’s quite risky, time-consuming, and requires pushing beyond the boundaries of formal, polite corporate culture. 

Moves like Ryanair’s are indeed high-risk, high-return, but Media Buffet can help your social media achieve that same effect. If you need help reimagining your brand through a 360-degree campaign—covering social media branding, digital, PR, and events—feel free to stop by and contact Media Buffet!