Fun, unique ads aren’t just a job well done. They can also have a real impact on consumers. A global research study by Oracle found that 90% of people are more likely to remember an ad if it’s funny, while 72% would even choose a funny brand over its competitors.
However, business executives admitted in the same survey that they’re afraid to add humor to their advertisements. In fact, a whopping 95% of executives share this concern. And that’s why, whenever we come across a genuinely funny ad, it can feel so rare that it sticks with us.
In fact, funny ads are so rare that, according to data from market research giant Kantar, only about 33% of global ads use humor. But oddly enough, that seems to pay off, since humorous campaigns account for 50% of the winners of its Creative Effectiveness Awards.
After all, David Ogilvy, often dubbed the “Father of Advertising,” once said, “You cannot bore people into buying your product; you can only interest them into buying it.” So clearly, funny marketing is doing something right.
Let’s be honest, too: many ads are aimed at Gen Z. They’re the generation that’s entering the workforce, earning their own money, and setting trends. And when a product starts trending, Gen Z is likely to want to get their hands on it.
In marketing, understanding your target audience is incredibly important. And when it comes to Gen Z and Millennials, humor seems to do the trick. According to GlobalWebIndex, 41% of Gen Z and 34% of Millennials said they browse social media primarily for funny and entertaining content. So it’s no surprise that funny ads can be particularly effective with these generations.
One of the most iconic ads to become a cultural phenomenon was the 1999 Budweiser commercial known for its legendary “Whassup?!” catchphrase. The ad aired in late 1999 during Monday Night Football, and we all watched friends calling each other while watching the game, sticking out their tongues, and screaming, “Whaaaaasssuuuuup?!”
People started greeting their friends with the same yell at school, work, and even in their answering machine messages. The ad went on to win the Cannes Grand Prix, proving that a funny 30-second commercial could become a global phenomenon almost overnight.
