The Humor Effect

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😂 The Humor Effect: Why DTC Brands Must Get Funny in 2025

For years, performance marketing has been all about efficiency—direct response, aggressive CTAs, and hard-sell tactics. But the biggest trend in 2025 isn’t just selling—it’s making people laugh.

Humor is a high-ROI lever, not just a creative gimmick. 25% of ads that spent over $1M included humor, proving that funny ads don’t just entertain—they convert. The best DTC brands aren’t just optimizing for clicks; they’re making people stop, watch, and remember.

Here’s how to use humor as a performance tool.

🎯 Structure Ads Like a Sitcom, Not a Sales Pitch

Most DTC ads try too hard to sell. Instead, think of your ads like mini sitcoms—episodic, character-driven, and story-first.

• Create a recurring brand character (think Duolingo’s chaotic owl or Progressive’s Flo).
  
• Use humor to exaggerate a relatable problem, then solve it (e.g., a fitness brand mocks extreme gym bros before introducing an easy, science-backed solution).
  
• Run ads as a multi-part series, where each ad builds on the last—keeping engagement high over time.

Why It Works: People engage more with characters and narratives than they do with direct product pitches.

🃏 Jump on Trends—Before They Die

Humor ages fast. What’s funny today is cringeworthy tomorrow. Brands that move first win the engagement battle.

• Build a meme-tracking system—monitor rising trends on TikTok, Twitter, and niche forums.
  
• Create “plug-and-play” ad templates that allow quick adaptation to viral jokes.
  
• Use humor as top-of-funnel content to attract engaged audiences, then retarget them with conversion-driven ads.

Why It Works: Funny ads feel native to social feeds, reducing ad fatigue and improving organic engagement.

🤝 Hire Comedians, Not Just Influencers

Most brands rely on influencers, but comedians understand humor better than anyone.

• Work with stand-up comedians to script ad concepts—they instinctively know timing, delivery, and audience sentiment.
  
• Let TikTok/YouTube comedians co-create content, rather than forcing scripted endorsements.
  
• Test absurdist humor—unexpected, exaggerated takes often outperform polished, “safe” ads.

Why It Works: Comedians bring authenticity—making ads feel like content, not ads.

🔥 Final Takeaway: Humor = Performance

In 2025, the best-performing brands won’t just sell—they’ll entertain. Humor isn’t just engaging; it’s a conversion driver.

💡 Motion’s Creative Trends 2025 Report reveals why funny ads are outperforming traditional performance creatives—analyzing $100M in ad spend and 500+ advertiser insights.

DTC isn’t getting more serious—it’s getting funnier. Is your brand keeping up?

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Thanks for reading this edition! Keep pushing boundaries, testing ideas, and staying inspired. See you in the next edition with more ways to ignite your marketing success. 🥰