Create ideas using: Make a Parody
How do I make sure my parody is funny and not just mean?
Punch up, not down. Parody works when you're mocking systems, conventions, or powerful entities--not individuals or vulnerable groups. The humor should reveal truth about what you're parodying, not just make fun of it. If the joke is cruel or lazy, you're doing it wrong. Smart parody has a point beyond the laugh.
What if people don't get that it's parody?
Then you failed at execution. Good parody is obviously parody--exaggerated enough to be clear, but close enough to the original to be recognizable. If you're worried about confusion, your execution is too subtle or your target is too obscure. Test it. If people think it's serious, either lean harder into the absurdity or pick a better target.
Example: How it could look
A sustainable fashion brand creates a parody of fast fashion ads: hyperactive editing, screaming graphics, '97% OFF EVERYTHING ALWAYS,' models drowning in piles of cheap clothes. Then cut to calm: one quality piece, worn for years, lasting beyond trends. The parody makes fast fashion's absurdity obvious through exaggeration.
Or like this:
Why is Make a Parody a great technique?
Parody works because humor disarms, entertains, and makes your critique stick in ways straight criticism can't.
Makes complex critiques accessible through humor
Highly shareable when done well
Positions your brand as smart and culturally aware
Creates memorable contrast between you and target
Good parody does double duty: it entertains while making a strategic point. People share it because it's funny, but what sticks is the underlying message about what you stand for versus what you're mocking. Just make sure you're actually funny, or it's just awkward.
! When not to use the Make a Parody Technique
When your humor is mean-spirited, unfunny, or you're parodying things your target audience actually loves. Read the room or look like an asshole.
Technique first described by www.deckofbrilliance.com