Peter Kay hoofing a ball and shouting “ave it!” The wader-clad bloke embroiled in fisticuffs with a bear over a salmon. Harry re-meets Sally to re-create that scene (but this time, because of mayo).
Funny. Irreverent. Memorable.
Brands have always used humour to engage with customers, and those ads have seamlessly seeped into the fabric, mind and memories of the nation. But in more recent years, this has waned, particularly in fmcg and retail, where 15 years of purpose-led campaigns, fear of getting it wrong, and misrepresentation have sidelined the fun factor.
That’s why it was so refreshing to see humour take centre stage at this year’s Cannes Lions Festival, with comedic storytelling winning big. From absurdist snack ads to self-deprecating supermarket spots, the message was clear: funny sells – and it’s back in fashion.
Kit Kat’s ‘Phone Break’ by VML Prague took home an Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes Lions, Channel 4’s ‘Considering What?’ earned a Film Grand Prix, and Vaseline’s ‘Vaseline Verified’ by Ogilvy Singapore picked up multiple Lions for turning viral hacks into science-backed comedy – proof that levity is leading the creative charge across Europe.
So why aren’t more grocery brands leaning in?
The comedy payoff
It’s time for fmcg brands and retailers to start embracing humour in their ads. And there are a lot of good reasons for this. Firstly, grown-up neurological scientific research proves it:
- People are two times more likely to notice, three times more likely to remember and four times more likely to respond to ads that use humour
- Humour creates positive brand association and has even been known to lead to brand love – as customers transform into fans
- Almost three-quarters of consumers (72%) say they would select a humorous brand over the competition, according to Oracle
- Kantar found that during the pandemic, 62% of people actively welcomed humour in advertising
It’s no coincidence that Irn-Bru’s ‘Bringing Optimism Back to Scotland’ campaign was named one of System1’s ads of the year in 2024, helping the brand claim its humour crown last year.
There are many ways in which humour can be used in advertising. Well, seven to be precise: comparison, personification, exaggeration, pun, sarcasm, silliness and surprise.
Historically, alcohol ads were nearly always humorous, often taking on board all seven of these tools. John Smith’s, Carling Black Label, Castlemaine XXXX, Cinzano – many of these campaigns are seared into the minds of those of a certain age. Some 90 seconds of perfectly judged laughs and with a surprise visual gag at the end to reinforce memorability.
But while guidelines nowadays make it trickier to be funny around alcohol, it’s not impossible.
Tango, Pot Noodle, Snickers… many grocery brands over the years have embraced humour as a way to engage with audiences of all ages and demographics, and it’s not all slapstick and corny gags.
Consider the ongoing Skittles campaign. Incredibly visual and a great, easy-to-understand link to the product – but look deeper and there’s also more than a tinge of dark humour running through them, like a modern-day Grimm fairytale. It takes a deft touch to get the balance exactly right.
More recently, Yorkshire Tea has imbued its ads with humour, focusing on the heritage of the brand and its down-to-earth approachability, but throwing in a curveball in the guise of some particularly high-profile Yorkshire folk. It’s a great example of the quirkiness we see across communities regionally in the UK, with cultural differences being celebrated.
But it does need to be used properly and handled with care. Humour is a personality trait – it should never be jarring or uncomfortable, nor should it feel forced or cloud important messaging. Many brands surprise themselves.
Eye health shouldn’t intrinsically be funny, but ‘Should’ve gone to Specsavers’ has moved from tagline to popular lexicon.
Humour is human
For retailers, the situation is a little different. it’s not their job to be funny, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. What they need to convey is price assurance, convenience, quality, and an element of down-to-earthness that extends to an invitation to customers.
In this respect, Tesco has done well to maintain a gentle thread of humour through years of marketing. It’s not looking for belly laughs but instead has developed a light-heartedness to its personality.
More recently, Morrisons has shown that the perceived risk of humour is a fallacy. The ‘Fresh from Market Street’ campaign communicates the lengths it goes to to source fresh produce in a deliberately humorous guise, far removed from the finger-wagging preaching that consumers are often turned off by.
Supermarkets aren’t dumbing down by taking this approach. They’re speaking to their customers in a very human and engaging way, yet still making a clear point about their offer.
Humour, we believe, wrongly continues to be looked at as a ‘high risk, high reward’ tactic or something which lacks substance, but that shouldn’t stop a brand or retailer from embracing it. At a time when ‘truth’ is becoming increasingly part of societal concern – whether it be worries about gen AI, fake news, hate speech or the rise of masculine energy – humour gives us a reason to join together.
With consumer data highlighting humour’s power to drive engagement, memorability and brand love, it’s time for grocery brands and retailers to stop treating it as a gamble and start seeing it as one of their sharpest creative tools.
In an era of shrinking attention and rising scepticism, levity doesn’t just entertain – it earns trust.
Ed Brooke is executive partner at The Leith Agency
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