Is there any room for irreverence, quirkiness, even creativity in company communications nowadays? As a company grows, where does the fun go? Where are all the funny guys – and gals – we miss you, come back!

Richard Branson’s recent PR stunt in high heels and lipstick may not have been subtle but it was just…silly.  And fun. And it got them buckets of free advertising that was ‘on brand’. Virgin has pulled off the neat trick of growing from a quirky start up into a global brand whilst staying true to the original cool and irreverent vibe they started with. Innocent is another brand that manages to do this well. Their regular Dad Jokes on Facebook are well, awful. But great!

This is a tricky thing to manage.

We came across one game-changing brand recently that has so lost its sense of humour; it couldn’t even chuckle at a parody of itself. Not publicly anyway.

So many game-changing, young enterprises lose their identity and their sense of humour as they expand.  Having taken a vote ‘round the office we say this is selling out… it is losing your sense of ‘you’.

So we’re launching a campaign. Tickling Stick Tuesday! Every Tuesday we want you to walk ‘round your workplace shouting “Come on guys, relax. Flex those funny bones!”

Life is too short not to smile. You may be Mr Big Business, the size of three continents, but remember when you started out? Lean, hungry, full of fun ideas! Where did he go? Remember, being happy is good for you – and for business. It’s a fact. So, lose the frown, gain a grin and be happy.

But not to be defeated, we created an F-board instead. By surveying the surrounding area, taking in the journey of the casual passer-by, we spotted ‘The Idea’. What would make someone look at our F-board? Two things. One is we made it eye-high. Two, we made it realistic. We all look a stranger in the eye as we stroll on by, even if it is just a furtive glance. But especially if it is a pretty lady.

All in all, the F-board has made people stop… stare… and read the message.

We are delighted to be working with the Neenton Community Society to develop their visual identity as well as their website and some other ‘bits and bobs’. But more that that, we are happy to be an itsy-bitsy, teeny, weeny l’il part of something Big.

To read more, visit the BBC who popped in recently to chat about it.