Over the years, brands have understood the importance of humor in their marketing campaigns. This is especially true for brand commercials where they don’t have the luxury of appealing to any of the audience’s emotions other than humor in those spots averaging between 40- 60 seconds.
With that said, let’s explore the top funniest commercials from yesteryear that certainly deserve a shout-out or even a standing ovation in some cases. We hope you find them as funny as we did.
1. Snickers: Hungry Betty White (2010)
You are not you when you are hungry- quite literally! It’s been over a decade since this ad came out but Snickers’ Hungry Betty White commercial is still one of my favorites. While the ad itself is hilarious, the legendary Betty White adds extra magic to it. It also features a closing gag starring the similarly-aged Abe Vigoda.
2. DirectTV: Don’t Have Your House Explode (2012)
While this may seem a little creepy, it’s super funny. The ad is a hilarious take on how everything in your life could go for a toss if you’re using a poor cable connection for your TV. the sheer illogicality of the ad is what makes it so funny.
If you’re looking for tips on how not to have your house explode, DirectTV has got you covered.
3. Skittles: Settle It the Usual Way (2014)
Imagine being in a town where everyone for some reason has the bicep on their right arm as big as those of Hulk’s, while the other arm is perfectly normal. Now imagine if you come across an ad with similar characters.
No Skittles beards or Skittles teeth or Skittles clouds. Just an Old West town of dominant-armed freaks who settle their Skittles beefs the old-fashioned way with arm-wrestling contests. Not only is it eye-catching but also hits the right notes for the target demographic,
4. Adobe: The Launch (2015)
This hilarious 2015 ad underscores all the troubles that marketers go through. Also, it highlights how senseless marketing leads companies to nowhere.
The ad showcases unnecessary marketing demands and nitpicking wrecking a space mission. From enlarging the logo and adding hashtags to a last-minute change of plans and ultimately the cuts in marketing budget- this ad covers it all.
5. Apple Music: Drake vs. Bench Press (2016)
Apple found a smart way to convey the ad’s message- “It’s distractingly good.” The ad is a mirror of an ad starring Taylor Swift that was released earlier in 2016. The ad shows Drake lifting weights and listening to Apple Music for his workout entertainment.
However, he loses his balance midway, thereby, driving home the ad’s main message. But what a stupid way to get hurt, don’t you think?
6. Sure: Capture (2017)
This 2017 ad from Sure Verena combines humor and good health to highlight the importance of avoiding oil and fat. The ad showcases Sure as a police officer who prevents oil and fat from entering the human body.
Although this ad wasn’t funny conventionally, it certainly managed to keep everyone glued to their TV sets for the over 3-minute spot that it aired for.
7. Tide: It’s a Tide Ad (2018)
This ad is clean, subtle, and hilarious. Do you know what that means? It’s a tide ad! Aired during the 2018 Super Bowl, it makes fun of popular Super Bowl commercials but turns the format on its head by breaking the fourth wall by telling the audience that they are actually watching a Tide ad- you can tell because of the clean clothes.
The ad is humorous and the montage of scenes makes it easily adaptable for any distribution channel or length.
Wrapping Up
If done correctly, humor in advertising can be highly impactful. Not only does it grab the viewer’s attention but also wins their interest almost instantaneously. This explains the abundance of funny ad campaigns that we have today.
Everyone loves a good laugh, all they need is a reason to do so. Make sure your ad gives it to them.
We’ll soon be back with some of the worst and most offensive ads aired in recent times. Till then, stay tuned.
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