Advertising best practice, evidence and insights

What we know about using humour in advertising

Article • WARC Best Practice, August 2019

Provides marketers with information and guidance about using humour to create buzz, emotional engagement and virality.

How Procter & Gamble identified (and filled) the “gaps” in its multicultural advertising

Article • Geoffrey Precourt, Event Reports, ANA Multicultural Marketing & Diversity Conference, November 2019

Procter & Gamble, the consumer packaged goods manufacturer, conducted rigorous analysis of its multicultural marketing to ensure it was excelling in this area.

Behind the Paddy Power tone of voice

Article • Brian Carruthers, Event Reports, MAD//Fest London, November 2019

Discusses how bookmaker Paddy Power approaches marketing challenges using its distinctively cheeky tone of voice.

How Audi China turned an Infiniti blooper into its advantage

News • 21 November 2019

When Infiniti’s logo accidentally appeared in an Audi video ad on WeChat Moments last week, the German automobile brand turned the unexpected crisis on its head.

National Registry of Colombia: #NoDejesAColombiaEnVisto – #DontLeaveColombiaUnread

Case Study • UM, WARC Media Awards, Entrant, Best Use of Data, 2019

The National Registry of Colombia used traditional mass media, live events and social media to boost voter participation among young people in the Presidential and Congressional elections in Colombia.

Skinny: Famous Names

Case Study • Rachel Leyland, James Davidson, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Use of Partnerships and Sponsorships, 2019

Skinny Mobile, a no-frills telco from New Zealand, grew customer numbers, increased ARPU and tenure, and lifted consideration to an all-time high.

Canesten: Thrush, The Musical

Case Study • Amy Francis, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Thrush cream brand Canesten broke category conventions to make its name synonymous with thrush, getting women to recall and ask for the brand by name.

Wingstop: 4/20 High-Atus

Case Study • Jessica Perrin, WARC Media Awards, Entrant, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Wingstop, the global chicken wing restaurant chain hailing from Texas, boosted sales with a video campaign that targeted urban millennials celebrating 4/20 in the US.

Quebec Milk Producers: There's milk here

Case Study • Touché!, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Focusing on the Christmas holidays, Quebec Milk Producers implemented an innovative campaign, delivered through all media, to raise awareness and boost sales.

The Times & The Sunday Times: Politics Tamed

Case Study • Lesley Myers-Lamptey, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

The Times and The Sunday Times increased brand awareness and paid-for subscriptions by focusing on the 'madness' of UK politics in the face of an increasingly competitive category.

Inmarko: Talking Ice Cream

Case Study • Paley Nataliya, WARC Media Awards, Entrant, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Ice cream brand Inmarko used a precisely targeted media mix to stand out from the crowd and boost sales during the World Cup in Russia.

Skittles: The Broadway Musical

Case Study • James Barnett, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Confectionery brand Skittles reached a Super Bowl-sized audience by appearing on Broadway with a bespoke new production.

Oh Henry!: 4:25 Hunger Bar Launch

Case Study • Richard Fofana, Owen Garscadden, WARC Media Awards, Gold and POE Special Award, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Candy bar Oh Henry! reclaimed the number one spot in the candy bar market from rivals Snickers and Mars, and staked a claim to the untapped cannabis-induced 'munchies' space.

KFC: Buckethead Army

Case Study • James Barnett, WARC Media Awards, Silver, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Fast-food brand KFC harnessed Australians' love of cricket to create a fan army that won the support of the whole country, boosting sales along the way.

Lay's: Crunchy Sounds Challenge

Case Study • Benjamin Condit, Jerry Perez, WARC Media Awards, Shortlisted, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Potato-chip brand Lay's used short-video platform Douyin and the sound of chips being eaten to drive e-commerce impulse purchase in China.

Oral-B: You're Out

Case Study • James Barnett, WARC Media Awards, Entrant, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Dental care brand Oral-B hijacked the holiest day of the year to encourage take-up of its electric toothbrushes in Israel.

Sunlight: The Mekong Connection

Case Study • Soumya Ranjan Panda, Nguyen Bao Tran, WARC Media Awards, Bronze, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Dishwashing detergent brand Sunlight used a multi-pronged campaign to encourage reappraisal and win over rural consumers from the local brand in Vietnam.

Skinny Mobile: The Best 'Freekend' Christmas Ever!

Case Study • Rachel Leyland, WARC Media Awards, Silver and Path-to-Purchase and Effective Cross-Channel Measurement Special Awards, Effective Channel Integration, 2019

Skinny Mobile, a no-frills New Zealand telco, used an integrated channel approach to focus promotion on its data offering, instead of handsets, to deliver growth in the competitive Christmas period.

The Movember Foundation: Men, you're not talking, so try ticking

Case Study • Tangrams Strategy & Effectiveness Awards, Bronze, 2019

The Movember Foundation, a charity that aims to tackle the biggest health issues faced by men, got men in New Zealand to talk about their mental health by creating an online survey, the Mensus, which gave them tailored messages to send to friends based on their answers.

Samsung Galaxy S9: The Dodo x Samsung Slow-Mo

Case Study • Silver, X (Global), 2019, MMA Smarties

Samsung, a technology company, increased positive sentiment among millennials in the US by launching a social video campaign, which created shareable pet moments using the slow-motion feature on the Galaxy S9.

bubly launch campaign

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Gold, X (Global), 2019

Bubly, the sparkling water brand, successfully broke into the sparkling water category by partnering with a set of celebrities and social media content platforms to drive a mobile led campaign that engaged US consumers.

Chipotle Freeting: A Multichannel Mobile Approach

Case Study • Entrant, X (Global), 2019, MMA Smarties

Chiptole, a restaurant brand, created a connection with its audience in the US during the NBA finals by launching a campaign on Twitter offering a promotion every time a fan texted in unique words the brand had tweeted.

Lays: Using Crunchy Sounds to Drive an e-Commerce Boom

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Gold, X (Global), 2019

Lay's, the potato chips brand, increased its e-commerce sales by launching a social-media viral video campaign in which Chinese consumers lip-synced a monologue heavily featuring the chips' characteristic crunchy sound.

Fanta: The Snack Saga

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Silver, X (Global), 2019

Fanta, the soft drink, created a platform game to introduce its new brand mascot The Mouth, which increased brand awareness and sales in Brazil.

PepsiCo/Mirinda: Laugh the Grudge Away for Tet

Case Study • MMA Smarties, Silver, X (Global), 2019

Mirinda, a soft-drinks brand, increased sales and consumer awareness through the use of a music video-led campaign that sought to unite opposing Vietnamese consumers over a glass of soda.

Humour & jokes