
Christ Coolen's Humor-First Marketing Psychology Playbook
A friendly breakdown of Christ Coolen's LinkedIn style, with side-by-side comparisons to Andrejs Karpovs and Scott Brinker.
Christ Coolen's Humor-First Marketing Psychology Playbook
I was scrolling LinkedIn and had one of those moments where you stop and think, wait... why is this so good? That's what happened when I looked at Christ Coolen. 54,160 followers, a Hero Score of 53.00, and still posting just 2 times a week. That mix is rare. Usually you see either huge volume or huge audience. Here, it's like: calm cadence, loud impact.
So I went down the rabbit hole. I wanted to understand what makes his content land so consistently, and what that looks like next to two other strong creators: Andrejs Karpovs (same Hero Score, much smaller audience) and Scott Brinker (similar audience size, slightly lower Hero Score, very different vibe). After reading patterns instead of just posts, a few things jumped out.
Here's what stood out:
- Christ wins with teaching + comedy, not either-or
- His posts are built for fast scanning and then a deeper "ohhh" moment
- He treats CTA like a running joke with receipts, not a desperate ask
Christ Coolen's Performance Metrics
Here's what's interesting: Christ sits in that sweet spot where the audience is big enough to create momentum, but the content still feels like it was written for one person. The 53.00 Hero Score says engagement is strong relative to audience size, and the 2.0 posts per week tells me he values consistency without turning his feed into a firehose. That restraint is part of the brand.
Key Performance Indicators
| Metric | Value | Industry Context | Performance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Followers | 54,160 | Industry average | π Elite |
| Hero Score | 53.00 | Exceptional (Top 5%) | π Top Tier |
| Engagement Rate | N/A | Above Average | π Solid |
| Posts Per Week | 2.0 | Moderate | π Regular |
| Connections | 9,241 | Growing Network | π Growing |
What Makes Christ Coolen's Content Work
Before we get tactical, I want to anchor this in a simple comparison. Because Christ isn't "successful" in a vacuum. He's successful in contrast to other ways of winning on LinkedIn.
Quick creator snapshot (side-by-side)
| Creator | Followers | Hero Score | Location | Primary angle (observed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ Coolen | 54,160 | 53.00 | Netherlands | Marketing psychology taught with humor and sharp examples |
| Andrejs Karpovs | 8,909 | 53.00 | Latvia | AI leadership and high-agency teams, practical builder energy |
| Scott Brinker | 55,128 | 51.00 | United States | Martech analyst voice, curator and ecosystem explainer |
What surprised me is Andrejs matching Christ's Hero Score with a much smaller base. That usually means a tight niche and very aligned audience. Scott, meanwhile, is a classic authority profile: large audience, slightly lower engagement ratio, and a more "reference library" feel.
1. Humor as a delivery system for real teaching
So here's the first thing I noticed: Christ doesn't use humor to decorate the idea. He uses humor to move the idea. It's the spoonful of sugar, but the medicine is legit: persuasion, behavioral cues, why people don't act, why "common sense" marketing fails.
He'll lean into self-deprecation, little roasts, and absurd comparisons, and then slip in the lesson like it was always obvious. And because it's playful, you don't feel lectured.
Key Insight: Write the lesson like a teacher, deliver it like a friend who can't resist a good joke.
This works because LinkedIn has a lot of "I have 3 frameworks" posts that feel cold. Christ keeps the brain on (marketing psychology), while keeping defenses down (humor). And that combo makes people share, because it makes them look smart without looking try-hard.
Strategy Breakdown:
| Element | Christ Coolen's Approach | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Conversational, playful, sometimes sarcastic | Makes expertise feel approachable |
| Examples | Simple, vivid analogies (tool vs instrument, tiny tweaks, human moments) | Your brain remembers pictures, not jargon |
| Teaching style | One clear lesson per post, explained fast | Easy to repeat, easy to act on |
2. Scan-first formatting that still rewards depth
Now, here's where it gets interesting. Christ writes like he knows exactly how people scroll at 08:10 with coffee in one hand. Lots of white space. Short paragraphs. One-line punchlines. Lists that feel like "finally, someone gets it".
And then he sneaks in a deeper layer: a principle, a behavior pattern, a reframing. The structure is light, but the thinking isn't.
He also uses contrast constantly. "We all know this. Do we do it? Not enough." That tension keeps you reading.
Comparison with Industry Standards:
| Aspect | Industry Average | Christ Coolen's Approach | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paragraph length | Medium to long blocks | 1-3 sentences, often 1 sentence | Higher completion rate on mobile |
| Hook style | Generic topic intro | Bold claim or playful frustration | Stops the scroll faster |
| Takeaway clarity | Multiple mixed points | One main lesson, clean ending | More saves and shares |
3. Repetition that builds a recognizable "brand voice"
A lot of creators fear repetition because they think it makes them boring. Christ does the opposite: he repeats the right things so you recognize him instantly.
Signature phrases, recurring CTAs, familiar rhythms like starting with "But..." or "And...". It's not copy-paste. It's more like a TV show format. You know the vibe before the punchline arrives.
And honestly, this is where many smart creators fail. They change their style every week, so the audience never learns what to expect. Christ trains the audience.
4. CTAs that feel like part of the joke (but still convert)
But wait, there's more. Christ's CTA style is sneaky-good because it doesn't feel like a hard sell. It's playful, sometimes exaggerated, sometimes a bit absurd. He uses social proof like "32,000 people went before you" as a repeated anchor, and because it's repeated, it turns into a familiar close.
The psychological trick: the CTA is consistent enough to be remembered, but light enough to not trigger resistance.
Here's a side-by-side look at how CTA energy tends to show up across these three creators.
CTA and conversion posture (side-by-side)
| Creator | CTA style (observed) | Typical audience motivation | What it signals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christ Coolen | Playful, direct, often newsletter or comment prompt | "Entertain me, teach me, give me something I can use" | Teacher-creator with a product loop |
| Andrejs Karpovs | Builder-focused, invite to think or adopt a practice | "Help me lead better with AI" | Practitioner and guide |
| Scott Brinker | Softer CTA, more sharing and referencing | "Keep me updated on martech" | Analyst-curator authority |
Their Content Formula
Christ's posts feel spontaneous, but the underlying formula is pretty consistent. It's like jazz: you can improvise when you know the structure.
Content Structure Breakdown
| Component | Christ Coolen's Approach | Effectiveness | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Short, bold claim or a funny irritation, often phrased as a question | High | Immediate curiosity + emotional charge |
| Body | Mini story or context, then 1 lesson with examples and bullets | High | Easy to scan, still feels substantial |
| CTA | Newsletter plug, book plug, or "comment/like" ask with humor | High | Repetition builds habit, humor reduces friction |
The Hook Pattern
He opens posts like someone starting a conversation mid-thought. No runway.
Template:
"Everyone says they understand their customer. But... do they?"
Other hook angles that fit his style:
- "I used to hate [thing]. And then I realized why it actually matters."
- "We know this. We still don't do it. Why?"
- "If your marketing feels 'fine', that's the problem."
Why it works: it creates a tiny bit of conflict without being toxic. You're either nodding or arguing in your head. Both keep you reading.
The Body Structure
He typically moves fast: context, lesson, examples, payoff. And he uses transitions like "But..." and "So..." as rhythm markers.
Body Structure Analysis:
| Stage | What They Do | Example Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | Drop a claim or frustration | "I've always disliked persona's..." (then reframes it) |
| Development | Add a simple principle from psychology/marketing | "People are lazy" or "small friction kills action" |
| Transition | Use "But..." to flip the perspective | "But the idea behind it is useful" |
| Closing | One-line takeaway + punchline energy | "Small tweak. Big effect." |
A practical note: the best posting times we have for top performance are 07:00-09:00 Europe/Brussels. And that fits this style perfectly. It's the early workday scroll window, when people want something sharp, not a 40-paragraph manifesto.
The CTA Approach
Christ's CTA is usually separated by spacing, sometimes with a "Ps:" feel. The psychology is simple:
- Spacing signals "main value is done" so you don't feel tricked.
- A repeated offer (newsletter) becomes familiar.
- Social proof reduces the fear of wasting time.
And the humor helps. When someone says "Kopen, kopen, koopavond!" in a self-aware way, it makes the sell feel human. You're not being pushed. You're being invited.
Where Christ Differs From Andrejs and Scott (and why that matters)
If you only copy Christ's tactics, you might miss the deeper point: each of these creators wins by matching format to audience expectation.
Style and positioning comparison
| Dimension | Christ Coolen | Andrejs Karpovs | Scott Brinker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core promise | "I'll make you better at persuasion, and you'll enjoy it" | "I'll help you build AI-native teams" | "I'll map the martech world and what it means" |
| Content vibe | High-energy teacher + comedian | Focused operator + leader | Calm analyst + curator |
| Reader payoff | Quick insight + memorable analogy | Actionable frameworks for leaders | Context, trends, and reference value |
| Why people follow | To learn and smile | To upgrade leadership and execution | To stay informed and credible |
Want my honest take? Christ is the most "sticky" in the moment. Scott is the most "bookmarkable" over time. Andrejs is the most "high-signal" for a specific leadership niche.
3 Actionable Strategies You Can Use Today
-
Write one lesson per post - If you can't summarize the takeaway in one line, your reader won't either.
-
Use contrast on purpose - Start with "We all know this" and flip it with "But we don't act" to create tension that pulls people down the page.
-
Make your CTA a ritual - Repeat the same CTA structure for 30 days so the audience learns what you offer and stops hesitating.
Key Takeaways
- Christ Coolen's edge is delivery - marketing psychology is everywhere, but his humor and pacing make it feel fresh.
- Format is part of the strategy - short lines, strong spacing, and punchy transitions fit the 07:00-09:00 scroll window.
- Repetition builds identity - recurring phrases and CTA patterns train your audience to recognize you instantly.
- Comparison clarifies your own path - Christ (teacher-entertainer), Andrejs (AI operator-leader), Scott (martech analyst-curator) are three different winning models.
If you try one thing this week, try the "one lesson + one analogy" combo. It's simple, and it works. What creator style fits you best?
Meet the Creators
Christ Coolen
β³ Specialist Marketing(Psychologie) | Marketeer, Spreker & Trainer
π Netherlands Β· π’ Industry not specified
Andrejs Karpovs
Building high-agency AI-augmented teams for leaders | AI Generalist | Head of Oracle Cloud & Oracle AI @Vivicta
π Latvia Β· π’ Industry not specified
Scott Brinker
Martech Analyst & Advisor | Ex-HubSpot VP Platform Ecosystem | βGodfather of Martechβ - AdAge
π United States Β· π’ Industry not specified
This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.