The evolution of the display ad finds us at a time in history where almost anything goes and humour takes centre stage. Sure, being integral to your brand voice is paramount, but a campaign ad looking to uncover the golden chalice of cut-through can afford a bit of wriggle-room and ask the audience to, at the very least, smile…
Photography and display ad above by team Red Candy.
Some hints to getting the grin:
Be unexpected
Use contemporary language in an otherwise conservative context.
Pick a relatable and cross cultural human trait and call it out as humorous (hunger works for us!)
Add a moustache!
Don’t be afraid to toy with this idea, even if you’ve identified your brand voice as traditional, serious, authoritative or pragmatic. Bank ads have done a cracker of a job showing us just how well this can be done. Remember ANZ’s “Barbara Lives in Bank World” ads? Hilarious. One take-away from this example is that brand ANZ stays in-tact – sturdy, reliable, relatable, it’s the context of the other bank that we’re all left laughing at. Clever. Check it out and be inspired.
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