How Dr. Squatch is reaching young audiences through standup comedy

Over the past year, men’s soap brand Dr. Squatch has looked for unique ways to grow its brand awareness.
One way is by sponsoring live comedy shows through a partnership with the Don’t Tell Comedy network. Dr. Squatch now sponsors video reels and highlights produced by the Don’t Tell Comedy team. In October, the company partnered with actress Sydney Sweeney on a commercial to announce Dr. Squatch’s new natural body wash line.
The partnership allows Dr. Squatch to reach this younger male audience through sampling activations and digital content. According to Dr. Squatch and Don’t Tell Comedy, the sponsorship has generated hundreds of millions of social media impressions alongside the in-person events. Founded in 2013, Dr. Squatch generated over $100 million in revenue as of 2021 and is reportedly valued at $2 billion.
John Ludeke, vp of marketing at Dr Squatch, described the Don’t Tell Comedy partnership as a brand awareness play for the personal care brand while helping support live comedy. Through its sponsorship of Don’t Tell Comedy Ludeke said, “we are able to create memorable, relatable moments that stick and resonate with people long after the laughs.”
Since launching in 2017, Don’t Tell Comedy has become known for its secret pop-up shows that have toured 250 cities around the globe. According to the company, its live shows are typically held in non-traditional comedy venues, like surf shops or art galleries, with an average attendance of 70 people. Notable standup comedians who have toured with Don’t Tell Comedy include Ali Wong and Nikki Glaser. The network has 1.7 million YouTube and 3.1 million TikTok subscribers, with most videos averaging a few hundred thousand views.
The Dr. Squatch partnership is largely focused on getting the brand in front of more people rather than directly driving sales. Ludeke also noted that humor is already a big part of Dr. Squatch’s DNA. “Our mission is to inspire and educate men to be happier and healthier, which makes live comedy a great fit,” he said. Dr. Squatch is known in the personal care space for its offbeat, comedic voice, especially on TikTok and in its 2021 Super Bowl ad “You’re Not a Dish.”
“If we break it down into more detailed metrics, we look at success from a variety of angles including video views, engagement, and a general increase in awareness and brand love,” Ludeke said. Over the past year, Don’t Tell Comedy’s online content has generated over a billion views across its social platforms and many videos are now sponsored by Dr. Squatch.
At the live shows, Dr. Squatch’s branding can be seen on signage material, and the logo is displayed on the stage. The events also act as a sampling opportunity for Dr. Squatch, with all attendees receiving soap samples as they leave the show. Don’t Tell Comedy’s emails, which are sent out to people before and after the show, also have branding links for people to purchase Dr. Squatch products.
Don’t Tell Comedy co-founder Kyle Kazanjian-Amory said that Dr. Squatch has become its biggest sponsor to date. “Dr. Squatch reached out to us through our website and was looking to get into the standup space by supporting comedians,” he said. Through the partnership, comedians are paid a sponsorship fee in addition to their performance rate.
Other sponsors of Don’t Tell Comedy include Long Drink and Monster Energy, which will be sponsoring a new series of half-hour comedy specials this year. Kazanjian-Amory said a big draw for these brands is the intimate comedy club setting and the young demographic they’re trying to reach. “Compared to the average comedy club demographic our audience is younger, in the 21-to-35 age range,” he said.
One of Don’t Tell Comedy’s stipulations is that comedians cannot be censored by the sponsor. “A lot of brands are too timid to sponsor comedy just due to the nature of the content,” Kazanjian-Amory said. It helps when a brand is already known for having a humorous marketing tone, which makes the standup comedy ads feel more organic.
“Live comedy can be a bit unpredictable, and comedians are well known for not filtering what they say, but that’s part of what makes it so exciting,” Ludeke said. This allows the brand to be part of an authentic entertainment experience, Ludeke said.
CPG Consultant Nate Rosen said comedy shows present an opportunity for young brands like Dr. Squatch to use creative marketing to grow reach.
Rosen said that standup comedy is exploding in popularity thanks to TikTok and Instagram Reels. “They’re tapping into a trend and meeting their young male audience where they already are,” he said. “Plus, humor has always been a big part of [Dr. Squatch’s] ads, so this feels authentic and spot-on for the brand.”
But a pure awareness play can take years to be able to invest in properly. Dr. Squatch is now at a point where it has built enough brand equity to do activations that aren’t about immediate conversions, Rosen said. “This move isn’t just about selling soap either; it’s about more brand building and staying part of a broader cultural conversation, which is so important for continuing to scale,” he said.
For Dr. Squatch, the Don’t Tell Comedy partnership is entering its second year, and more content and activation are planned. New live shows will resume in late January and continue throughout the year.
Ludeke said the partnership is part of the brand’s goal to create less generic content. “Our audience and broad audiences in general are tired of the standard corporate approach and value brands that are authentic and transparent,” he said.