11 hrs ago
How Brands Can Use Humor to Win Younger Consumers
Many young people see lots of advertisements every day.
A funny advertisement can make them stop scrolling and pay attention.
A study found that most Gen Z and Gen Alpha respondents notice funny brands and may be more likely to buy from them.
They may also tell their friends about brands that make them laugh.
But jokes become old quickly online.
This means brands need to understand current internet culture.
The joke should connect naturally to the product instead of feeling forced.
It should also be clear and funny almost immediately.
Creators can help because they test jokes with real audiences.
An Omnicom Advertising and Snapchat study found that 87% of Gen Z and Gen Alpha respondents closely notice funny brands.
The study said 88% are more likely to consider buying from a funny brand, while 93% would tell others about it.
Experts say younger consumers filter digital content quickly, creating roughly five-second reaction windows for Gen Alpha and eight seconds for Gen Z.
Successful humor is closely tied to a product’s story and often uses familiar cultural references, as seen in campaigns by Fevicol, Flipkart and Palmonas.
Brands must avoid forced or outdated jokes, with Zomato’s withdrawn 2023 “Kachra” campaign cited as a cautionary example.
- Who
- Brands, advertising agencies, creators, and consumers from Gen Z and Gen Alpha are involved.
- What
- The article examines how brands can use humor to attract and engage younger consumers.
- Where
- The trend is discussed in the context of digital platforms, including YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, and advertising campaigns in India.
- When
- The discussion follows a recent Omnicom Advertising and Snapchat study and cites campaigns released from 1996 through 2024.
- Why
- Humor may help brands overcome rapid scrolling and digital overload, but poorly judged jokes can become embarrassing or damage a campaign.
Humor as Engagement
Humor as a Brand Risk
Stopping the scroll
Humor as Engagement
Funny content can make younger consumers stop scrolling, watch an advertisement and share it with others.
Humor as a Brand Risk
A conventional setup-and-punchline structure may fail because viewers can scroll away before the joke arrives.
Cultural relevance
Humor as Engagement
Familiar references, internet language and creator-led humor can make product campaigns feel engaging and authentic.
Humor as a Brand Risk
Using terms such as “rizz” or “no cap” out of context can appear forced, while jokes can become “cringe” within weeks or days.
Creative freedom
Humor as Engagement
Creators can test humor with real audiences and identify what already makes people laugh.
Humor as a Brand Risk
Brands risk public criticism and apologies when humor is poorly judged, as illustrated by Zomato’s withdrawn “Kachra” campaign.
Key facts
- Study
- How to Laugh (and Win) with the Next Generation, by Omnicom Advertising and Snapchat
- Funny-brand attention
- 87% of surveyed Gen Z and Gen Alpha respondents said they closely notice funny brands.
- Purchase consideration
- 88% said they were more likely to consider buying from a funny brand.
- Word of mouth
- 93% said they would tell others about a funny brand.
- Reaction windows
- The article cites roughly five seconds for Gen Alpha and eight seconds for Gen Z.
- Recommended approach
- Use visual humor from the first frame, connect it to the product, and design it for short-form platforms.
- Cautionary example
- Zomato withdrew and apologised for its 2023 “Kachra” World Environment Day campaign.
Quotes
Dhruv Sachdeva
Chief creative officer and founder of independent agency Humour Me
“Creators know what lands because they have tried it repeatedly in front of real audiences. That builds a muscle advertising often lacks. A copywriter can say, ‘I think this is funny’. A creator will say, ‘I made 10,000 people laugh with this’.”
financialexpress.com
“In that environment, a regular product advertisement can easily get lost. But if something makes them laugh, they are more likely to stop scrolling, watch it and share it with others.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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