60 Clever Ads Prove Humor Still Works Better Than Playing It Safe
Brands that dared to use humor - and won audience attention
Great advertising does more than push a product or service. The campaigns that truly stand out are the ones that spark curiosity, trigger emotions, and stay in your mind long after the first glance.
Whether through smart wording, striking visuals, or unexpected ideas, memorable ads create a connection that goes beyond a sales message. One approach that consistently delivers strong results is humor.
A well-timed joke or a playful concept can instantly lower defenses and make people more open to a brand’s message. Laughter creates a positive association, even when the audience has never heard of the company before.
That is why funny ads often spread faster and stick longer than serious ones. In recent years, many brands have taken a cautious approach, choosing safe, predictable concepts over bold creativity.
As a result, genuinely funny advertisements feel rare, and that is exactly what makes them so effective. When you are stuck in traffic after a long day, a clever billboard with a sense of humor can cut through the noise and earn your attention in seconds.
These kinds of ads do not rely on big explanations or familiar brand names. They work because the idea is clear, unexpected, and entertaining at first glance.
The following examples show how humor can turn a simple advertisement into something people actually enjoy, proving that a good laugh is one of the strongest tools in advertising.
"Durex"
reddit"This Advertisement From A Dental Office"
reddit.com
"An Advertisement For Keloptic. com - A French Website That Sells Glasses"
Gaget
"I Now Have An Advertisement Stuck In My Head, Genius"
TeachMeImWilling69
"Dreamies"
MagicMoonBeans
"Bad Ad Is A Good Ad"
StephenMcGannon
"Text & Drive" Wathan Funeral Home Billboard"
SicilSlovak
"Utah Ski Resort Gets A 1-Star Review From A Guy In Los Angeles Because The Mountain Was Too Difficult. They Used The One-Star Review To Advertise It"
rightcoastguy
"Creative, Location-Specific Ad For Copenhagen Skatepark"
kid_is_insane
"Don't Know If It Counts As An Ad, But Still Funny"
2na2unatuna
"Tabasco"
StephenMcGannon
"NYC Closets"
proc_bofa
"LEGO"
StephenMcGannon
"Simple, Yet Effective"
acamu5x
"Tailgating Isn't Worth It"
StephenMcGannon
"Tic Tac"
StephenMcGannon
"Honest Advertising"
SharkRancher
"Kiss Fm 97.7"
Garcia Robles, Guatemala
"Specsavers"
StephenMcGannon
"Picks Up Five Times More Woman Than A Lamborghini"
twixonurface
"Advertising Done Right"
mperez4855
"Dated (But Funny) Anti-Gastroenteritis Medicine Ad"
ForLackOfAUserName
"Bus Stop Ad For A VPN Provider"
1m0ws
"Oatly Bench Ad, 2019"
strivelyco
"This Ad By Eskom."
Aequitas19
"Delhi's Homeless"
StephenMcGannon
"Bic"
StephenMcGannon
"Burger King, 2024"
abaganoush
"Ricola"
Miami Ad School Europe
"Get Them Off Your Dog." - Frontline Flea & Tick Control"
Mantschgo
"Deadpool & Wolverine"
StephenMcGannon
"Listermint"
JWT Sydney, Australia
"Pepsi"
StephenMcGannon
"This Guy Must Be Feeling Pretty Great On This Ad"
ErickJail
"Classic Ad For Cough Syrup In Canada"
jon-in-tha-hood
"Mcdonalds"
StephenMcGannon
"This Bose Advertisement Made Me Laugh."
Greenlightxx
"Above The Trash"
pacmanisfun
"1991 Range Rover Print Ad ‘And You Thought Your Teenagers Were Rough On A Car’"
kervokian
"Crest"
StephenMcGannon
"McDonald’s"
"Hush Puppies"
StephenMcGannon
"Mercedes-Benz"
StephenMcGannon
"Audi"
StephenMcGannon
"This Ad Is Going To Become The Next Copycat Template For So Many Brands"
lazymentors
"Google"
Grey, Istanbul, Turkey
"Cedars Sinai Spine Center"
StephenMcGannon
"This Ad At Dusseldorf Airport"
GermanPlatypusMan
"Juicy Fruit"
"National Geographic"
Heads, Sao Paulo, Brazil
"Kerrygold"
StephenMcGannon
"Hyundai"
Shalmor Avnon Amichay / Y&R, Tel Aviv, Israel
"Ephone900"
JST Beijing China
"Calgary Zoo"
Trigger, Calgary, Canada
"3m"
"1971 Listerine Print Ad ‘I Hate It, But I Love It’"
kervokian
"Hubba Bubba (1980)"
StephenMcGannon
"Knacki"
Ogilvy, France
"IKEA"
"Mountain Riders"
Publicis Conseil, Paris, France
In a world full of safe, forgettable advertising, humor remains one of the few tools that truly cut through the noise. A smart, funny idea can stop people in their tracks, even on a bad day, and leave a lasting impression.
When brands dare to be playful, they don’t just sell - they connect, entertain, and stay remembered.
