‘Ave it! Why using humour is no joke

As an industry we have a tendency to overcomplicate things but, actually, us humans are pretty simple beasts.  

All we really want is to be fed, bedded and entertained. 

People like a laugh. Simple as that.

People like a laugh. Simple as that.

Laughing releases endorphins to make us feel happier. It strengthens our immune system. It increases our production of antibodies and disease fighting cells and activates our sense of wonder. And recent studies show it can play a big role in data retention.

Above: Hamlet cigars' 1989 commercial is one of the UK's favourite - and most famous. 

Well, hell, this laughter sounds like a pretty powerful tool and, logically, if you wanted to engage someone, or get them to remember a message, trying to make them chuckle seems like a pretty good tactic, no? 

With all these fabulous benefits of laughter, it’s unsurprising that Hamlet cigars [above], Smash mash and John Smith adverts all firmly sit in the nation’s top 10 of all time, just as Monty Python, Fleabag, The Office and The Thick Of It are all up there in Britain’s favourite TV shows of all time. 

Think about ads that have really stuck with you. For me, a couple spring to mind. 

It’s unsurprising that Hamlet cigars, Smash mash and John Smith adverts all firmly sit in the nation’s top 10 of all time.

A man wearing waders gets roundhouse kicked by a bear over a salmon [below]. 

A CEO of a major soft drink company challenges a French exchange student to fight him in a boxing ring on the white cliffs of Dover. 

A moody gorilla lets rip on a drum kit to an 80s classic. 

All are unexpected, funny and memorable scenarios. And very successful adverts for their respected products. Like, big uplift in sales successful.

And if you can remember the brand names just from those abstract descriptions, it goes to show that people don’t just remember the joke, they remember the product too. 

Above: John West's Bear is another memorable UK spot that is regularly cited as comedy gold. 

Now, we all know everything is a liiiiittle bit shit at the moment. And we all know that ‘purpose’ is a buzzword that has been flying around for a while, as brands work out what they stand for and how they can help save humanity. 

I’m not saying it’s not important for brands to stand for something. I am a strong believer that creative minds can make a big difference and we have the power to make real, lasting change. But not every campaign has to be about changing the world. Sometimes people just need lightening up a bit. 

I’m loving the fact that we’re beginning to see a resurgence of more weird, wonderful, humorous, WFT? adverts (almost as much as Jeff Low is, who must be the busiest director in the world right now). 

Humour shouldn't be seen by clients as a cheap play.

I also welcome it being pushed further. For more and more brands to dip their toes back into a more puerile, light-hearted world and to see laughter as a seriously effective tool again. 

Humour shouldn't be seen by clients as a cheap play. Or for it not be taken seriously as a viable way to sell a product. 

Puns can be premium. Jokes can be glossy. Products can be punchlines. And, rather than degrading, it's powerful to have a little laugh at your own expense. 

Humour is disarming and memorable. The most likeable people can openly laugh at themselves.