Creative Pool: Super Bowl Ads Always Score Big with Humour... So Why Do Brands Fumble the Funny the Rest of the Year?
Each February, the Super Bowl transforms into a comedy showcase where brands unleash their wittiest, most absurd ads—think beer-chugging Clydesdales, self-aware celebrities, and slapstick twists that leave millions laughing. Yet, once the confetti settles, humour in advertising seems to vanish faster than a halftime lead. Why? Studies prove comedy’s power: humour-driven ads are 6.1x more efficient at boosting market share, 90% of consumers remember funny spots, and Super Bowl campaigns like Bud Light’s “Big Men on Cul-De-Sac” dominate by leaning into laughs.
But in a risk-averse marketing landscape fixated on purpose-driven storytelling, brands often bench humour the other 364 days, fearing misfires or alienating audiences. Max Arkell, our Client Partner and Head of Account Management, unpacks this paradox, revealing why the advertising world’s post-Super Bowl humour drought persists—and how bold brands like Google Pixel and Amazon Prime are rewriting the playbook to keep audiences laughing (and buying) year-round.
Why is it that the Super Bowl is filled with funny ads (there have been some crackers this year), but once the last pass is thrown, the ticker tape is swept up, and the Super Bowl disappears for another year, so does the humour in advertising?
Playing it for laughs has long been a staple of Super Bowl ads, and there’s a good reason for that—it works. Studies have shown that laughter disrupts expectations, makes consumers stop, engage and then remember and drives relatability, to name but a few benefits. All of these are crucial in an event where brands are spending millions to stand out.
Just this week, WARC put out a report proving the effectiveness of humour, saying, “Humour isn’t only a creative choice – it’s a strategic advantage. Get it right, and your brand can be assured of greater recall, higher engagement, and stronger commercial impact. For me, the top stat was that ads with humour are 6.1x more efficient at driving market share growth than neutral or dull ads.
Further research from Oracle shows that 90% of consumers say they’re more likely to remember a funny ad, and 72% would choose a humourous brand over the competition.
DAIVID, an ad-testing platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to measure creative effectiveness, has already tested 19 Super Bowl ads, showing that humour was the top emotion registered among 14 of the 19 spots it tested. And that Bud Light’s “Big Men on Cul-De-Sac” came in first when it came to being funny, being 59% funnier than the average US ad.
And the last stat drives it home for me – there is more effort to make Super Bowl ads funny. A study from Kantar backs this up, showing that humorous ads have declined by 37% over the past 20 years.
Why are brands happy to stand up on the biggest stage in global advertising and have a laugh, but then batten down the hatches on a social video for their followers? There are a few factors.
Firstly, escapism. The Super Bowl is more than just a game—it’s a full entertainment package, from the halftime show to the commercials. The ads have to match that energy. At the 2024 Super Bowl, 70% of ads featured humour, proving that brands understand comedy’s role in keeping audiences engaged.
Secondly, over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant shift toward purpose-driven marketing—emotional, meaningful storytelling—and while that’s been great in many ways, it’s also made brands and agencies more cautious – but it can also lead to compassion fatigue. With fewer long-term client relationships and tighter budgets, there’s less room for regular risk-taking. The fear of a joke not landing or a client worrying that humour won’t appeal to everyone has led many brands to play it safe.
Furthermore, the Super Bowl has become its own cultural moment, and it looks to push the boundaries every year. It’s also a time when family and friends come together in celebratio,n and the festive mood makes humour feel at home. Also, whilst the Super Bowl is the most expensive time of year to advertise, big brands see it as a way of maximising their investment. The notion of maximum risk and maximum reward comes into play—getting it right on the biggest of stages can pay off massively for a brand, thus justifying their investment.
But I am left with some hope that the tide is beginning to turn and that agencies are bolder and brands are open to taking creative risks. The recent Google Pixel ad featuring Sol Campbell was a breath of fresh air. Honestly, as a Spurs fan who is still scorned by Sol’s controversial move across North London 23 years ago, it feels a bit at odds with me commending it.
Of course, my first reaction was, “This isn’t funny at all—how could Google do this to us?!” but looking at it objectively, it’s an incredibly smart, well-executed piece of work. It’s bold for a brand to put out something they know will ruffle some feathers, but that’s what makes it stand out – and, importantly, it’s funny. Whether you’re a fan of Campbell or not, you can’t deny it’s a clever move, especially given how different it is from his usual serious persona.
Last year’s Amazon Prime Christmas ad with Harry Kane had a similar approach. Kane has always been known for being professional and measured—he’s never been one to court controversy. But in this campaign, he showed a more lighthearted, fun side of himself, proving that even the most composed athletes can let loose and have a laugh.
So, here are a few rules on how brands can inject some humour into their ads:
Don’t rush into it
Make sure any move to humour fits with your brand.
Humour isn’t just something that comes from the creative department
It is also driven by deep consumer insight, cultural awareness, and brand consistency.
Surprise and Subvert Expectations
Great comedy comes from the unexpected. Use misdirection, exaggeration, or irony to create a moment of surprise that grabs attention and sticks in people’s minds.
Celebs (especially sports stars) used correctly and out of context can be gold
Just see most of the Super Bowl ads. You can’t move for a comedy celeb turn.
Make It Relevant to Your Product
The humour should connect naturally to what you’re selling. If the joke is unrelated to the product, people will remember the laugh but forget the brand. The best funny ads make the product part of the punchline.
As the world finds itself in as confused a state as ever, don’t we all just want a bit of fun? Sport itself is an integral part of culture and cannot be separated from politics – but the nature of its ability to also help us escape those things is huge. And humour needs to be a part of that. Now more than ever – and not just for a few hours in February.