Every advertiser aspires to create a viral video that dominates platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Google+ (though its relevance is debatable). As we’ve previously discussed, the probability of an ad going viral is quite slim – it’s more strategic to develop educational or instructional videos that gradually attract a consistent flow of viewers.

But what about those exceptional 1% – the ads that practically market themselves? A common thread among them is their undeniable humor. Not just funny, but also peculiar, unconventional, and even astonishingly strange. Today, we’ll delve into some of the most peculiar and unconventional ads found online, analyzing the reasons behind their success.

PooPourri: Before-You-Go Toilet Spray

This video was the catalyst for this post – I was eager to share this ridiculously eccentric ad.

This video advertisement is remarkably clever and incredibly persuasive! It makes you question how you’ve managed without PooPourri all these years. So, what makes this ad so effective? Why has it garnered over 9 million views in just two weeks on YouTube? Here are a few thoughts…

• Appealing to Our Inner Child: Deep down, we all possess a sense of humor reminiscent of middle schoolers, and bodily functions will always be inherently amusing. It might even be considered too funny – the ad explicitly clarifies that it’s a genuine product and not a joke.
• Addressing a Taboo Subject: Let’s be honest, it’s not every day that you encounter an ad discussing such a sensitive topic. Conversations about bowel movements are usually reserved for older generations or perhaps extremely close friends. Openly addressing this topic is unconventional, and as viewers, we can’t help but be captivated.
• A Sense of Familiarity: The female British character evokes a strange sense of familiarity, perhaps reminiscent of…

Another advertisement centered around “freshness!” Coincidence? Possibly. However, the concept of a charming British woman promoting something as mundane as gum or bathroom fragrance is familiar, and perhaps this familiarity provides a sense of comfort in the context of an otherwise peculiar and unusual advertisement.

The PooPourri ad’s presentation format, featuring a spokesperson directly engaging with the audience, also resembles another popular humorous ad that achieved remarkable success on YouTube…

Dollar Shave Club Funny YouTube Ad

Why Is the Dollar Shave Club Ad So Appealing?

• Unpredictable Humor: The Dollar Shave Club ad employs the same type of random comedy that has made shows like Family Guy popular – the unexpected, bizarre, and outlandish elements create a sense of hilarity.
• Extended Shots: The ad features several long takes as the announcer approaches the camera or as the camera follows the speaker. This continuous movement helps maintain viewers’ attention and builds anticipation.

Both the Dollar Shave Club and PooPourri humorous advertisements follow in the footsteps of the Old Spice ads, which utilize a strikingly similar style. We could dedicate an entire post to dissecting the incredibly successful Old Spice marketing campaign, but it’s already extensively covered in our YouTube Advertising Guide. You can also explore our detailed post on creating your own explainer videos – videos like these can be valuable assets for your business.

Moon Cup vs. Tampon Rap Battle

Continuing with the bathroom theme, here’s another unusual yet informative ad that highlights the benefits of using a menstrual cup compared to tampons. Gentlemen, I apologize, but ignoring this topic won’t make it go away.

• Addressing a Taboo Subject (Once Again): Any mention of female reproductive health tends to be considered taboo. Similar to PooPourri, the sheer shock value alone will spark conversations about this ad.
• The Power of Music: The short rap battle is undeniably catchy, and people are naturally drawn to a good song, even when it revolves around a topic like menstruation. Music has the ability to make even the most serious subjects seem lighthearted and carefree. Have you ever tried singing about lost puppies or endangered species? How about a tragic death like in this YouTube hit…

Kmart’s Ship My Pants

This humorous video ad highlights that exhilarating feeling you get when you…

• Clever Wordplay: The ad brilliantly uses a pun to its advantage!
• Unexpected Humor (Especially from This Source): This type of humor seems quite unconventional coming from a brand like Kmart, but it’s a welcome surprise. It’s refreshing to see Kmart experimenting with its marketing approach. Kudos to them for being daring and innovative!

Do you have any particularly strange or wacky YouTube ads that come to mind? Why do you think they’re effective as advertisements? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Now, let’s shift our attention to funny PPC ads. And yes, they do exist!

Funny PPC Ads: Are We Laughing With You or at You?

There are two categories of “funny PPC ads” – those that are unintentionally funny due to their disastrous execution and those that genuinely elicit laughter through their wit and cleverness. The former is far more common than the latter.

Don’t you just despise paying full price for children?

The ad above is humorous but for all the wrong reasons. It’s a prime example of a poorly executed PPC ad. To see more examples of cringeworthy PPC advertisements, check out our post about eBay’s remarkably terrible PPC ads.

But what about PPC ads that are genuinely funny? Traditionally, there’s limited space for humor in PPC ads. With only 130 characters (less than a tweet!), it’s challenging to effectively promote your product or service while also showcasing your wit.

However, that’s not to say it’s impossible. Take a look at this PPC ad from the Braille Bookstore.

This ad incorporates several winning elements we’ve already discussed, including:

• Effective Use of a Pun: “Products you’ve never seen before. Because… you’re blind.”
• Addressing a Sensitive Topic: Making light of the blind community can be considered somewhat taboo, especially when they constitute your primary customer base. Perhaps it’s all in good fun?

The format of the PPC ad makes the humor even more impressive – it’s incredibly rare to come across a truly funny PPC ad, and delivering a punchline within such limited space requires careful planning. Moreover, the ad is subtle enough to make you wonder if the joke was even intentional…

This next one is more creative than funny but still worth mentioning. Royal Pingdom reported a 47% increase in CTR for this ad! Now, that’s impressive.

The website where I found this World of Warcraft PPC ad had labeled it as one of the “lamest PPC ads ever,” but I found it to be quite clever. It’s all about understanding your target audience, right?

Ingenious Image Ads

Continuing with the theme of humor, let’s take a look at some funny image ads. Why are image ads so effective? Images are more visually appealing than text, and well-established brands don’t need excessive space to explain their products – their reputation precedes them.

The abundance of online space and content supplementing print ads has led some advertisers, even those with less brand recognition, to use print space primarily for capturing attention with striking images. They then direct viewers to a more information-rich website through a provided URL or QR code.

Here are some of my favorites, borrowed from Buzzfeed.

Girls rule, and boys drool.

The mighty hunter.

Oh, I get it. Wait, no, I don’t. Okay, now I understand…

You really need to go right now.

You might notice that many of the image ads above have a somewhat juvenile tone. I’m not suggesting that an ad about bodily functions belongs in a sophisticated publication like The New Yorker, but there’s a certain cleverness that’s lacking in many of these print ads.

Limited space requires advertisers to evoke the most impactful emotion possible in the shortest amount of time. Often, the easiest way to achieve this is through humor, even if it’s as unsophisticated as a play on words. While not necessarily classy or witty, they do succeed in making us laugh.

I hope you enjoyed this brief exploration of humorous advertising in the digital age. Perhaps these unconventional ads sparked some funny and creative ideas of your own?

As always, feel free to share your thoughts and insights in the comments! We’d love to hear your perspectives on these unusual advertisements.