Hollywood actor turned marketer Ryan Reynolds highlighted the importance of humour and self-awareness in advertising when he participated in a talk at the 2022 Cannes Lions Festival.
Speaking with Dentsu International Global CEO Wendy Clark, the A-lister shared insights of his experience of being the chief creative officer for MNTN/Maximum Effort.
He noted that the key to growing the agency and film production company that was founded in 2018, was being responsive to trends on social platforms all over the globe.
According to Little Black Book Online, the actor also insisted that “ads should be fun” especially in these “unprecedented” post-pandemic times.
Most recently, Reynolds promoted his Aviation Gin in a funny and self-aware ad campaign that saw the brand partner up with British Airways.
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It was exactly this theme that the actor pushed in his talk at Cannes Lions, stating “we are very clear that this is marketing”, but “humour and emotion are the things that travel most ‘virally’.”
He talked of his love of admitting that “an add is an add” and that recognising the reality of this helps win over customers. As seen in his film Deadpool, he wants to strip back the veil and break the third wall.
The talk ended with Reynolds asking the audience to engage with his initiative, The Group Effort, to increase inclusiveness in the industry.
“It’s gonna make it better for everyone,” he added.
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