40+ humorous print ads

thumbnail2 6All work and no play, allegedly, makes Jack a dull boy. And advertisers seem to agree; globally, major brands seem more interested in making us laugh than selling a product; and for good reason: humor is one of the best ice-breakers. If a brand can make you happy, they can make you open your wallet.

With that in mind, ad execs often turn to the humorous, irreverent, or even outlandish to break through the clutter and demand attention. Sure, sometimes jokes fall flat; but do it well, and the effect goes beyond the eyes — to the brain, to the emotions, and most of all, to behavior change.

And so, for a bit of Friday fun, we thought we’d share some amusing, irreverent, strange and comical adverts from around the world. Enjoy!

3M Post-It: Making a Difference, Boyfriend

Post-it Boyfriend

Tums Extra: Lamb

Tums Extra

Bearded Lady Bourbon: The Search

Bearded Lady Bourbon

Volkswagen: Park Assist Technology, Hedgehog/Fish

VW Hedgehog

Playtex: Tattoo Boy

Playtex

The Cape Times: William

The Cape Times

Nataraj Pencils: Wrecking Ball

Nataraj Pencils

Energy Australia: Treadmill

Energy Australia

Huggies/Kimberly Clark: Political

Huggies

New York International Latino Film Festival: Serial Killer Movie Recipe

New York International Latino Film Festival

Milky Way: Skaters

Milky Way

Volkswagen: Park Assist Technology, Car Jack/Glass Truck

VW Car Jack

Etch A Sketch: Sushi

Etch A Sketch

San Francisco SPCA: Waiting Room

SF SPCA

Old Spice Swagger: Action Hero

Old Spice

Alo Ultra: Spaghetti Napolitan

Alo Ultra

Maxam Civilization: Egypt

Maxam Civilization

Blackstar Bikes: Panda

Blackstar

3M Scotch Tape: Chameleon

3m Scotch Tape

Ferretti Yachts: When the Master’s Away

Ferretti Yachts

Pymes Magazine: Milk

Pymes

Volkswagen: Park Assist Technology, Portaloo/Hearse

VW Portaloo

Kaleva Newspaper: Underground

Kaleva

Santher: Misses

Santher

Visa: Stanley Cup Playoff Beard

Visa

El Comercio Newspaper: Pig

El Comercio

Toshiba: Studying

Toshiba

Kyivstar: Shared Birdfeeder

Kyivstar

Colgate Dental Floss: Smile, 3

Colgate

Arjuna Yoga Centre: Woman

Arjuna

Volia Broadband: Titanic

Voila

Ibuprom: Woodpeckers

Ibuprom

Santher: Scout

Santher

Sky Company Parachuting: Wind

Sky

MasterCard Canada: Women’s Golf Classic

MasterCard Canada

Witte Molen: Last Wish

Witte Molen

Wrigley Orbit: Cow

Wrigley Orbit

3M Privacy Filter: For Your Eyes Only

3M Privacy

Bench Fix Hairstyling Products: Gecko

Bench Fix Hair

Volia Broadband: King Kong

Volia Broadband

The Art Director’s Club: Keep Fighting the Good Fight, Illustration

Art Directors Club

McDonald’s: Tiffany

McDonalds

Which of these ads is your favourite? Do they do a good job of selling the product? Let us know what you think in the comments.

Stacey Kole

Stacey Kole

Stacey Kole is a freelance writer and former magazine editor. When she’s not crafting copy or chasing after her two little boys, Stacey can be found drinking coffee, tea, or anything else with caffeine. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Twitter.

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