Reflecting an ongoing trend signposted at this year’s Cannes Lions, advertisers are increasingly embracing humour this year, with 56% of television ads taking a funny approach.
According to research by data and insights platform Kantar, this is up significantly from the 43% seen during the pandemic – indicating a concerted, industry-wide shift as adland gears up for its annual festive rush. This still pales in comparison the early 2000s however, when 66% of TV ads contained humour.
In-line with similar studies conducted by System1, Kantar has also found that advertisers who are able to trigger an emotional reaction in viewers will be able to boost their campaign effectiveness.
“Getting an emotional reaction from people really is the holy grail for advertisers. Humour in particular not only helps ads stand out more, it also sparks conversations and makes them more memorable,” Kantar head of creative excellence, Lynne Deason said.
“Christmas ads are especially good at triggering an emotional response from us, but in recent years we’ve had a bit of a dip in laughter with many brands choosing to go down a sadder, more sentimental, and heartfelt route.”
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She continued: “In fact, one in ten British consumers say they have shed a tear after watching a festive campaign. Sadder storylines can be effective but when times are tough, like they are now for many people going through the cost of living crisis, all we really want for Christmas is something uplifting. People want entertaining advertising that makes them feel good.”
“Christmas ads’ place in the festive cultural calendar really has been cemented since John Lewis & Partners launched ‘the Long Wait’ back in 2011. They are part of Christmas and have huge cultural sway – one in ten of us will watch more television in the hope of catching them, while 15% of 16 to 34 year olds say they get together with others to view ads.
Concluding, she said: “Of course, there’s a lot riding on these campaigns commercially for the brands that invest in them, and advertisers will be hoping their ads can help them cut through and win the battle for the Christmas pound. The competition is likely to be particularly fierce this year with a whopping 81% of people saying they will shop around for the best offers.
“Our data suggests that consumers are feeling more optimistic in comparison with 2022, but there is still significant financial pressure on many household budgets. Brands will need to walk this tightrope carefully, bringing the joy that people truly love about Christmas ads while making sure their content isn’t out of kilter with the economic realities that some consumers are facing.”
Illustrating the importance of this strategy, up to one in four (25%) Britons have said that they have previously laughed at a Christmas ad, with one in ten even admitting to shedding a tear.
