The Unbearable Lightness of Being Funny: How Humour Conquered Cannes and Our Collective Ennui

A lively collection of doodled creatures and characters—each brimming with personality—captures the spirit of creativity and laughter.

In the gilded salons and sun-drenched terraces of Cannes Lions 2025, as creative directors compared linen shirts and the price of rosé, a quiet but seismic shift occurred: humour, that most mercurial of creative tools, was finally ushered from the margins to the main stage. Not with a pratfall, but with a knowing wink and a punchline that resonated across continents. If you’d been listening closely, you might have heard the collective exhale of relief—finally, the world’s most prestigious advertising festival had remembered that levity, not solemnity, is the true universal language.

Humour, that most mercurial of creative tools, was finally ushered from the margins to the main stage. Not with a pratfall, but with a knowing wink and a punchline that resonated across continents.

A Category Is Born (With a Subcategory, Naturally)

Let us begin, as all good stories do, with a first: 2024 marked the inaugural year the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity officially introduced a Humour category. Well, “category” is perhaps a touch grandiose; in classic Cannes fashion, it was implemented as a subcategory across 13 existing Lions, rather than as a standalone award1 2. Still, for the first time, comedic work was formally recognised—not as a delightful aberration, but as a legitimate creative force.

A riot of playful desserts and colourful props sets the scene for a celebration of creativity, wit, and the joyful chaos that humour brings to the table.

Why now? The answer lies in both industry feedback and a notable uptick in humour-driven entries.

After years of earnest, purpose-laden campaigns, the creative world seemed ready to embrace the notion that a well-timed joke could be as powerful as a heartfelt manifesto.

The aim: to celebrate and encourage the use of wit, satire, and laughter-inducing creativity in branded communications, and perhaps to remind us all that advertising, at its best, is entertainment with a sly agenda1 2.

The Science of Snort-Laughing

A playful visualisation of the brain’s inner workings, capturing the neurochemical magic and exuberant energy unleashed by a good laugh.

Why does humour work? Blame your brain’s delightful inefficiency. When confronted with absurdity—say, a cat wearing a tiny hat—your prefrontal cortex short-circuits. This “incongruity theory” triggers a neurochemical cocktail: dopamine (for joy), oxytocin (for bonding), and endorphins (for pain relief)3 4 5.

It’s biology’s way of rewarding you for spotting life’s glorious illogic. Not only does laughter make us feel good, it also makes us smarter, friendlier, and more creative4.

But here’s the kicker: humour requires vulnerability. As comedian Bo Burnham notes, “AI can mimic joke structures but misses the human ache beneath the laugh.” Robots fail at wit because they’ve never burned toast mid-breakup or sobbed at a mediocre sitcom.

True comedy is forged in the crucible of human experience—a realm algorithms can’t access.

Marketing’s New Punchline

Brands once treated humour like a reckless cousin at a funeral. No longer.

At Cannes 2024 and 2025, campaigns that dared to be funny were not merely tolerated—they were celebrated.

2024: The Humour Category Arrives

DoorDash – “All the Ads”
Award: Titanium Grand Prix
This campaign was widely recognised as a major comedic winner, demonstrating how humour can drive brand engagement and business results. Its innovative approach and comedic tone helped it stand out among global entries and was celebrated as a step forward for the genre at Cannes67.
e.l.f. x Liquid Death – “Corpse Paint”
Award: Bronze, Humour in Social and Influencer category
This campaign was also highlighted for its comedic creativity and impact6.

Campaign	Brand/Organisation	Award	Reason for Win
All the Ads	DoorDash	Titanium Grand Prix	Bold, effective use of humour for brand engagement
Corpse Paint	e.l.f. x Liquid Death	Bronze (Social/Influencer)	Creative, comedic impact in social media campaigns

The introduction of the humour category and the recognition of these campaigns signalled a shift at Cannes Lions, with more brands and agencies embracing comedy as a key creative strategy1 2.

2025: Humour’s Triumph

Gold Lion: “The Best Place in the World to Get Herpes”
Client: New Zealand Herpes Foundation
Agencies: Finch (Sydney) and Motion Sickness (Auckland)
This campaign stood out for its audacious, tongue-in-cheek approach to destigmatising herpes. By positioning New Zealand as “the best place in the world to get herpes,” the creative team used irony and wit to flip a taboo topic into an opportunity for education and open conversation about sexual health.
The campaign’s humour was not just a gimmick—it was a strategic tool for breaking down stigma, sparking awareness, and encouraging engagement around a sensitive subject.
Its impact was so significant that it also won Gold and the Grand Prix for Good in the Health & Wellness category.
Bronze Lion: “Telstra – Better on a Better Network”
Brand: Telstra
Agency: Bear Meets Eagle On Fire
Country: Australia

Award	Campaign Title	Brand/Organisation	Agency	Country
Gold	The Best Place in the World to Get Herpes	New Zealand Herpes Foundation	Finch / Motion Sickness	New Zealand
Bronze	Telstra – Better on a Better Network	Telstra	Bear Meets Eagle On Fire	Australia

Context: “The Best Place in the World to Get Herpes” was widely recognised not only for its comedic value but also for its positive social impact. Its use of humour was a strategic choice to break down stigma and encourage open discussion about sexual health—a testament to how wit and laughter can drive meaningful change and set new creative benchmarks at the world’s leading advertising festival8.

Why Humour Works (and Sometimes Doesn’t)

Humour is, at its core, a social glue. It forges emotional connections, eases tension, and creates memorable experiences9.

When we laugh together, we open up, share vulnerabilities, and form bonds that go beyond everyday conversation.

In India, for example, humour has long served as a bridge across generational and cultural divides—from grandparents sharing “Good Morning” memes on WhatsApp to Gen Z deconstructing patriarchy via stand-up, and brands like Cadbury 5-Star weaponising absurdity with their “Erase Valentine’s Day” campaign10 11.

Of course, comedy is not without its perils. Humour is famously cultural, and what tickles the British may baffle the Brazilians. The Cannes juries, being truly global, must negotiate these nuances.

As Nick Hulley and Nadja Lossgott of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO observed, “The humour category is going to be hard. You have to unite a jury that is multicultural and multilingual. And there are shades of humour (that aren’t necessarily capital ‘H’ Humour), which might not jump out: wit, dry, subversive and dark humour.”2

The Psychological Power of Humour

The benefits of humour extend well beyond the boardroom.

Laughter releases endorphins, uplifts mood, and strengthens social bonds3 4 5. It is, as the neuroscientists say, “emotional PPE”—protective gear for the soul.

Comedy helps us process conflict, cope with pain, and find truth in the tension—one laugh at a time12. It’s no wonder that, in times of crisis, humour campaigns (like the CDC’s “Zombie Apocalypse” or Vir Das’s pandemic specials) have proven so effective at both engaging and healing audiences.

Humour as a Brand KPI: The New Metrics

In 2025, laughter is no longer just a happy accident—it’s a metric.

Brands now measure “laughter density” (chuckles per campaign minute), “relatability ratios” (does it feel like an inside joke?), and even “cringe resilience” (does it age like wine or milk?). Agencies like Wieden+Kennedy Portland, Titanium Grand Prix winners for DoorDash’s “All the Ads,” treat humour as serious business: human truth plus absurdity equals unforgettable storytelling.

The Indian Context: Satire, Stand-Up, and Social Change

India’s comedy landscape is a study in contrasts. On one hand, there is the enduring tradition of the Fool’s Conference in Akola—52 years of raising social awareness through satire and humour, where even the most serious issues are lampooned with wit and irony13. On the other, there is the new wave of stand-up, where comedians like Anubhav Singh Bassi and Dalit comics challenge entrenched hierarchies and social taboos, using laughter as both shield and sword14 15.

The Art and Ethics of Humour in Advertising

For all its power, humour in advertising is not without pitfalls. Over-reliance on stereotypes, cultural insensitivity, and ill-timed jokes can quickly backfire16.

The most effective campaigns are those that embrace authenticity, avoid punching down, and use humour to uplift rather than belittle.

As research shows, consumers associate absurdity with authenticity, and brands that turn to humour in times of uncertainty can see big rewards: increased trust, relatability, and brand recall17.

Why This Moment Matters

In 2025, humour is not just advertising’s flavour of the month—it’s our cultural immune system.

As Rajdeepak Das, CCO of Leo Burnett, observed at Cannes: “When times are hard, creatives wage positivity battles. Humour is our weapon.” From Mumbai’s meme factories to London’s dry-witted storyboards, laughter defies algorithms, bridges divides, and—dare one say—makes bleak times bearable.

So here’s to the fools, the satirists, and brands brave enough to joke. After all, as the Akola Fool’s Conference proves: serious problems demand unserious solutions.

References:
6 LBBOnline: Cannes Lions 2024 Comedy Ads Finally Get the Last Laugh
1 Adweek: Comedians Rate Cannes Lions 2024 Humor Winners
2 Campaign Live: Less Than 3% of UK Lions Awarded for Humour at Cannes 2024
7 Contagious: Cannes Lions 2024 Titanium Winners
8 Mediaweek: Cannes Lions 2025, Australia and New Zealand Wins
3 Neuroleadership: The Neuroscience of Laughter
4 World Economic Forum: Being Funny Is a Sign of Intelligence
5 Journal of Neuroscience: Laughter as a Neurochemical Mechanism
9 Toons Mag: The Role of Humor in Building Emotional Connection
11 İlköğretim Online: The Role of Humour in Indian Advertising Commercials
14 CS Monitor: India’s Dalit Comics Challenge Caste One Joke at a Time
15 Financial Express: BBH India Wins Bronze Lion at Cannes
10 BNN Breaking: Cadbury 5 Star Launches ‘Erase Valentine’s Day’
13 Times of India: Fool’s Conference—52 Years of Satire
18 AB Academies: The Effectiveness of Humor in Advertising
19 Saletancy: Humour in Marketing—5 Proven Ways to Boost Engagement
20 Nativa: Using Humor to Boost Engagement
12 Psychology Today: Comedy Is Conflict in Disguise
16 FasterCapital: Avoiding Common Pitfalls in Humor Marketing
17 181Street: Harnessing the Power of Humour in Advertising