Poundland on the hunt for the UK’s first Poundland comic

Poundland today began a nationwide search for a joke writer to help create the gags featured on its products. 

The move, timed to coincide with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is part of Poundland’s adoption of a refreshed tone of voice that resonates with customers.

With checkouts voiced by Elvis and Yoda sound-a-likes and own label packaging that raises a smile with clever copywriting, Poundland has also begun to put gags on some of its in-house ranges.

Its latest range of nuts feature squirrel gags on the wrappers, such as “What do you call a peanut in a space suit? An Astronut…”.

Poundland now needs fresh material for upcoming product launches so is looking to kick start a comedy career through the provision of 100 fresh, original jokes for future use across the store.

Telling jokes is a serious business for Poundland because it knows its customers like to laugh.

Those who want to be considered for the gig will be able to enter by submitting their best one-liners to PGT@poundland.co.uk and be in with a chance of being named the first ‘Poundland Comic’. All one-liners must be submitted by August 16.

Three pun-inspiring writers will be shortlisted for the role and whisked off to Scotland on 24 August to perform for a panel of Poundland execs, during the Fringe.

The off-schedule event will give the shortlisted writers the chance to perform their own five-minute stand-up routine live in store in front of Poundland shoppers. The winner will be selected based on customer reaction and its own packaging experts.

Mark McDonagh, Senior Nuts Buyer “Our customers love to laugh and go nuts for the best gags. The fact we’re serious about the amazing value we promise, doesn’t mean we take ourselves seriously”.

The new nuts range featuring Poundland’s best nut jokes, such as ‘Two peanuts were walking down a road. One was a salted’, are in all stores nationwide now with 15 types available for just £1.