Where's the sugar? In defence of funny ads

Bernbach’s got some great ones. Hegarty, too. But my favourite advertising quote is by Mary Poppins: ‘A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down’.

Nobody wants to hear a sales pitch, but if it’s enjoyable, maybe they’ll listen. 

Research tells us that ‘laughing’ and ‘smiling’ are among the most popular activities for humans.

There is another theory; but it’s a bit weird. You create ads that make people smile.

Apparently they love it. Yet weirdly, funny ads are viewed skeptically by clients.

They’re seen as an indulgence by the agency; wasting our valuable selling time with their jokes.

It’s understandable.

Above: Dave Dye

We know that the public are hungry for product information, the more detailed the better.

Across every category.

True, it takes time, but these people are time-rich.

We also know that after devouring all the available info on a category, say, the pasta sauce, they’ll buy the one that… we advertised?

Oh, hang on, I can’t remember the way it goes now.

Obviously we don’t all work on the best or cheapest… anyway, it’s a very popular theory.

There is another theory; but it’s a bit weird. You create ads that make people smile.

Maybe then people wouldn’t ignore them.

So they’d find out more about the product.

Making them more likely to buy it.

Also, because you made them smile, they’ll feel warmer about you, making them even more likely to buy from you.

You’re right. It sounds nuts.

See below for Dye's selection of the funniest print ads.