Humor, used judiciously and for the right organization, can pay off in amazing ways for a brand. A foundation repair company discovered that humor could take its brand to the next level. I give you the St. Louis-based Crack Team and its mascot, Mr. Happy Crack.

The mascot's favorite saying is, "A dry crack is a happy crack." I'm not making this up.

The company was named Crack Team by founder Mike Kodner in 1985 before society lost all sense of decorum. Once Bob Kodner took over the business from his father, he began thinking about how to expand the business beyond its home base.

The younger Kodner realized that people were already beginning to make cracks and laugh about the name. So, he decided to trust his gut and run with it.

While stuck in traffic one day, Kodner had the idea of a large square block of concrete mascot and the "dry crack" tagline. Kodner's cousin designed the logo. Shortly thereafter, the company placed ads on the sides of 34 St. Louis buses and the phones began ringing off the hook, asking for service and wanting to buy Mr. Happy Crack t-shirts.

The Crack Team has garnered millions of dollars of national publicity but has never had an ad or PR agency, and it has never advertised nationally. Today, it has franchises across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

Orders for logoed merchandise come in from across the country, adding an additional $500,000 or more each year to the company's $10 million bottom line. Top sellers: Mr. Happy Crack thongs and boxer shorts. Again, I'm not making this up.

The Crack Team has never let up on its homegrown PR campaign. Recent story ideas that received media attention, The No Crack Left Behind Act, and the call they say they received from the White House to fix some major leaks. The company has a website dedicated to Mr. Happy Crack and his merchandise that gets 350,000 visits per month. Everything is written with tongue firmly in cheek.

However, it is not the sales of merchandise upon which we should focus. Consider this, do you remember the name of the last company that came to your house to fix the plumbing, the A/C, or clean the gutters? No, but people remember Mr. Happy Crack.

Why? The company has embraced the humor inherent in the brand and its mascot. They have integrated this approach into all that they do. That's why it works for them. Maybe it could work for you, too.

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