One sports hipster flannels and plaids; the other(s), crazy hand-knit sweaters. One exists in a naturalistic world based on his own life; the other(s), a surreal talk show dreamscape where virtually anything is possible.

IFC’s comedies “Maron” and “Comedy Bang! Bang!” couldn’t be farther apart on the style spectrum, but as “different as they are,” said Kevin Vitale, VP of creative and brand strategy at for the network, “there is a strong commonality in that they are both slightly off.”

Having renewed “Maron” for a second season and “Comedy Bang! Bang!” for a third and even fourth, IFC (whose tagline happens to be “Always On. Slightly Off.”) is banking on that commonality by pairing the shows in an hour-long comedy bloc premiering May 8 at 10:00 pm. Both have singular visions wholly formed by the minds of their creators and stars – comedian and “WTF” podcaster Marc Maron in “Maron,” and podcaster Scott Aukerman, along with his music-producing counterpart Reggie Watts, in “Comedy Bang! Bang!”

IFC’s promos leading up to the premiere have embraced the disparate minds behind the shows, sometimes quite literally. The following spot even alludes to the word “mind” without actually saying it, giving each star a topic, letting him sound off on it, then comparing and contrasting the responses. Only then does the missing word enter the picture, as we realize the combination of both personalities is, well, mind-blowing.

The result cleverly ties the two series together across a common theme while simultaneously “highlighting each show’s perspective,” said Vitale. “It’s taking a familiar topic and then letting the perspective of each show introduce you to what that show is.” It also lets the two shows converse with each other in a sense, setting up a subliminal repartee that links them in the viewer’s minds, as though “Maron” and “CBB” are two friends, hanging out for the evening.

With the comparing of perspectives premise introduced, IFC was able to have a lot of goofy fun and still stay on point. Much like a picture speaks a thousand words, the following promo shows how the way someone laughs speaks a thousand words about their comedic sensibilities.

Of course, not every promo juxtaposes the shows, but even when just focusing on one, IFC let the distinctive personalities lead the charge. “One thing that’s great about Scott and Reggie,” said Vitale, “is that they have this rapport… this very specific way of talking.”

“What Scott and Reggie do is so different,” said Vitale, “but it really fits in to what [IFC does] – our slightly off approach to comedy and how we represent ourselves.”

[Videos courtesy of IFC.]

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