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Christ Coolen's Humor-First Marketing Psychology Playbook
Creator Comparison

Christ Coolen's Humor-First Marketing Psychology Playbook

Β·LinkedIn Strategy

A friendly breakdown of Christ Coolen's LinkedIn style, with side-by-side comparisons to Andrejs Karpovs and Scott Brinker.

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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

MetricValueIndustry ContextPerformance Level
Followers54,160Industry average🌟 Elite
Hero Score53.00Exceptional (Top 5%)πŸ† Top Tier
Engagement RateN/AAbove AverageπŸ“Š Solid
Posts Per Week2.0ModerateπŸ“ Regular
Connections9,241Growing NetworkπŸ”— 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)

CreatorFollowersHero ScoreLocationPrimary angle (observed)
Christ Coolen54,16053.00NetherlandsMarketing psychology taught with humor and sharp examples
Andrejs Karpovs8,90953.00LatviaAI leadership and high-agency teams, practical builder energy
Scott Brinker55,12851.00United StatesMartech 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:

ElementChrist Coolen's ApproachWhy It Works
ToneConversational, playful, sometimes sarcasticMakes expertise feel approachable
ExamplesSimple, vivid analogies (tool vs instrument, tiny tweaks, human moments)Your brain remembers pictures, not jargon
Teaching styleOne clear lesson per post, explained fastEasy 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:

AspectIndustry AverageChrist Coolen's ApproachImpact
Paragraph lengthMedium to long blocks1-3 sentences, often 1 sentenceHigher completion rate on mobile
Hook styleGeneric topic introBold claim or playful frustrationStops the scroll faster
Takeaway clarityMultiple mixed pointsOne main lesson, clean endingMore 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)

CreatorCTA style (observed)Typical audience motivationWhat it signals
Christ CoolenPlayful, direct, often newsletter or comment prompt"Entertain me, teach me, give me something I can use"Teacher-creator with a product loop
Andrejs KarpovsBuilder-focused, invite to think or adopt a practice"Help me lead better with AI"Practitioner and guide
Scott BrinkerSofter 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

ComponentChrist Coolen's ApproachEffectivenessWhy It Works
HookShort, bold claim or a funny irritation, often phrased as a questionHighImmediate curiosity + emotional charge
BodyMini story or context, then 1 lesson with examples and bulletsHighEasy to scan, still feels substantial
CTANewsletter plug, book plug, or "comment/like" ask with humorHighRepetition 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:

StageWhat They DoExample Pattern
OpeningDrop a claim or frustration"I've always disliked persona's..." (then reframes it)
DevelopmentAdd a simple principle from psychology/marketing"People are lazy" or "small friction kills action"
TransitionUse "But..." to flip the perspective"But the idea behind it is useful"
ClosingOne-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

DimensionChrist CoolenAndrejs KarpovsScott 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 vibeHigh-energy teacher + comedianFocused operator + leaderCalm analyst + curator
Reader payoffQuick insight + memorable analogyActionable frameworks for leadersContext, trends, and reference value
Why people followTo learn and smileTo upgrade leadership and executionTo 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

  1. Write one lesson per post - If you can't summarize the takeaway in one line, your reader won't either.

  2. 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.

  3. 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

  1. Christ Coolen's edge is delivery - marketing psychology is everywhere, but his humor and pacing make it feel fresh.
  2. Format is part of the strategy - short lines, strong spacing, and punchy transitions fit the 07:00-09:00 scroll window.
  3. Repetition builds identity - recurring phrases and CTA patterns train your audience to recognize you instantly.
  4. 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

↳ Specialist Marketing(Psychologie) | Marketeer, Spreker & Trainer

54,160 Followers 53.0 Hero Score

πŸ“ Netherlands Β· 🏒 Industry not specified

Andrejs Karpovs

Building high-agency AI-augmented teams for leaders | AI Generalist | Head of Oracle Cloud & Oracle AI @Vivicta

8,909 Followers 53.0 Hero Score

πŸ“ Latvia Β· 🏒 Industry not specified

Scott Brinker

Martech Analyst & Advisor | Ex-HubSpot VP Platform Ecosystem | β€œGodfather of Martech” - AdAge

55,128 Followers 51.0 Hero Score

πŸ“ United States Β· 🏒 Industry not specified


This analysis was generated by ViralBrain's AI content intelligence platform.