Can you build Brand Advocacy in punchlines?
John Thornton thinks so. Kind of.
Verity sits down with Surreal's Senior Creative (and ex-Innocent wordsmith) to break down how brand voice becomes a business asset, how humour fuels loyalty, and why you should definitely check your QR codes before a campaign launch.
This isn’t another chat about tone of voice. It’s a behind-the-scenes on…
The truth about "funny" copy that drives action.
What most brands misunderstand about distinctiveness.
The forgotten value of comments, not campaigns.
Why authenticity is less about saying the right thing, and more about knowing your place (and being flexible on your fonts).
John shares the good, the bad, and the copy & collaborations that helped Surreal drive major awareness. Innocent, too.
Whether you’re a brand builder, copywriter or just here for the laughs, there’s no fluff; just real talk from someone who knows how to make cereal & smoothies go viral.
Turn it up to learn:
How to Create Copy that Converts, Sans-Corporate Feel: When the tone’s too polished, people scroll past. When it’s too offbeat, they don’t trust you. John shares how to strike the balance – writing copy that’s confident, irreverent, and still converts when it counts.
The One Test John Uses to Decide if a Risky Idea is Actually Risky: If you want to get bold work signed off, use John’s litmus test: “What would the Daily Mail headline be?” If it’s not scandal-worthy, it’s probably just brave. Let’s break down how to push boundaries without blowing up trust, or approval chains.
Why People Love Brands that Hire the “Idiot on Twitter”: It’s not about polish, it’s about presence. John explains why fast, scrappy, weirdly human replies build more loyalty than a year’s worth of branded templates. And why the best moments don’t need strategy decks; just someone funny with a login.
The Difference Between Going Viral and Building Something That Lasts: Viral posts spike and fade. Advocacy sticks around. Together, John & Verity unpack how to turn attention into affinity, using humour and product to build content people choose to share – long after the algorithm moves on.
Listen. Laugh a bit. Rethink your brand copy.
Chapters:
03:10 – Meet John Thornton
07:00 – Why Self-Awareness Beats Tone Guidelines
09:10 – Innocent’s Process (and Freedom to Fail)
11:00 – Writing to Stand Out, Not Just Be Funny
12:50 – A Star Wars CV & Other Power Moves
14:10 – The Best Campaigns Are Barely Planned
15:40 – Defending ‘Vanity’ Metrics
16:30 – The Baked Bean Smoothie ft. Heinz
18:50 – Fonts, Risk & The Daily Mail Test
22:20 – Why Surreal Hides Its Humans
29:50 – Product Posts That Actually Get Shared
31:50 – Advocacy Is a Long Game
36:00 – Turning a Fail Into a Fan Moment
39:00 – The LoveHoney Collab Explained
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