When Creatives Meet Creators: Show Me The Funny

Everyone likes a good laugh, don't they? Well maybe. The truth is that some people's idea of what's funny is very different to others - and this makes it a particularly tricky path for comedians (and more especially brands) to navigate.

Humour is not, of course, an absolute fixed point in place and time - tastes change, as do social mores. All this makes it even more precarious.

Nonetheless, with Cannes having introduced a Lion for humour to balance out the swing to 'purposeful' advertising, being 'funny' has risen up the advertising agenda. TikTok has also provided a platform for people to show how funny they are, so discovering new humour has possibly become easier too.

But what does it look like now? And how can brands (and comedians) stay on the right side of funny, rather than be consigned to the dustbin of shame alongside stand-ups from the 70s?

In the latest in a series of interviews between TikTok creators and ad creatives, we bring together the writer, author and comedian Soph Galustian, who has nearly 250,000 followers on the platform and broke into comedy during Covid lockdown, with the outgoing CCO at adam&eveDDB Richard Brim to discuss.

Being on the right side of humour

Humour is a tricky beast. It thrives on pushing boundaries, yet those boundaries are always shifting. What was once hilarious can quickly become outdated—or worse, offensive. Galustian takes steps to make sure she stays on the right side of the line.

"The first thing I consider is: will my audience like this? Will they buy into it?" she says. Humour is subjective, but for her, the key is staying considerate. "You can be funny without having to cross lines."

Brim agrees—though he sees a paradox. "Historically, humour has been fuelled by not being considerate or respectful," he points out. "Some jokes stand the test of time." Others, of course, really do not. While considered a classic, the Tango ad (below) made by HHCL, would be inconceivable these days for its slapstick humour.

Such is the evolving nature of comedy. What feels sharp and fresh today might seem cringe-worthy or inappropriate in twenty years. But Galustian loves that about it. "It’s subjective—you might find something hilarious, and I might not. That’s the magic of it."

For Brim, navigating humour in advertising is a high-stakes game. Brands don’t just have an audience; they have critics waiting to pounce. "If a brand gets it wrong, they’ll hear about it—fast." He says he’s developed a kind of “spider sense” for potential backlash, but surprises still happen.

The lesson? Humour will always walk a fine line. And as that line keeps moving, the best comedians and creatives won’t just follow it—they’ll shape where it goes next.

Hitting the funny bone

“Sometimes you get it bang on, and other times you miss the mark,” observes Galustian. “Your audience didn’t like it—or not. And they’ll forgive you—or not.”

It’s a truth that every content creator and advertiser understands. In the fast-paced world of digital content, engagement metrics—views, comments, and interactions—serve as the ultimate barometer of success.

Galustian, whose digital presence speaks directly to the LGBTQ+ community knows all too well that even the most carefully crafted campaigns can be hit or miss, especially when brand partnerships are involved.

This tension is particularly enhanced for TikTok creators, observes Brim, as they have an artistic vision, whereas in advertising the brand - by necessity - must come first.

Galustian acknowledges the challenge. Brands gravitate towards creators whose audience aligns with their messaging. For instance, her collaborations with TikTok during Pride Month resonated deeply with her followers. Similarly, her content around pet products—particularly for cats—finds traction within her community.

Brim notes that humour is undergoing a resurgence, after years of purpose-driven messaging when every brand needed a noble cause.

Advertising, he explains, often oscillates between extremes—either too serious or too trivial. However, consumers increasingly crave humour and authenticity.

Favourite funny ad

Brim says that an ad for Twix - created by adam&eveDDB - is one that he finds particularly resonant.

The 30-second ad, part of a global campaign, featured two twins camping and humorously discussing why they liked eating Twix, while two bears lurked nearby poised to attack and sharing similar thoughts - but about them.

Brim highlights the challenges of crafting humour for a global audience, noting how comedic tastes vary across regions. Despite this, the ad successfully communicates Twix’s product benefits—chewiness, deliciousness, and the signature snap—while integrating humour seamlessly.

Brim also worked on the light-hearted and playful 'Slurp' campaign for Pot Noodle, which ramped up the comedy of eating one of the snacks.

How to make short-form funny content for TikTok

The contrast between legacy ad production and TikTok’s rapid-fire nature, is apparent. Brim points out that the shortest production time that he usually works to is about three months from writing to shooting, whereas TikTok creators sometimes just have minutes to get their work out.They therefore often rely on instinct, spontaneity, and immediate execution.

For Galustian, overthinking is the enemy of viral content. “My best videos on TikTok are ones that I’ve just done off the cuff—ones where I just thought, ‘This might be funny,’ and I’ve recorded it and posted it. That’s it.”

She recalls how these spontaneous posts, often created in minutes, rack up millions of views. Meanwhile, carefully planned, meticulously edited videos—ones she dedicates hours to crafting—can flop.

“Sometimes I’ll sit down and plan one, and it will take me a lot of time. I’ll feel really good when I’m doing it because I’ll make a spreadsheet and think, ‘Okay, this will probably work here,’ and I’ll edit it for ages… and then it just flops.”

Galustian’s approach is rooted in intuition and momentum. “I tend to go with my first idea, commit to it, and just go for it. That’s the thing with a platform like TikTok—it will either work, or it won’t. You just have to accept that and do better in your next one.”

Her philosophy is a crucial lesson for brands and creators alike: in the world of short-form content, perfection is an illusion. Agility, adaptability, and the willingness to fail fast are what truly drive engagement.

As Brim and Galustian’s conversation illustrates, the most effective TikTok ads aren’t polished to perfection—they’re authentic, immediate, and willing to embrace the unpredictability of viral humour.

Why humour is attractive to audiences

Brim sees humour as one of many effective tools but highlights its unique ability to foster a deeper connection between brands and audiences:

“I think it's one of the tools... I think it goes back to that thing of, if you make people feel something, you make people laugh, if you make people think, they’re gonna have a more profound relationship with you as the message givers of the brand.”

He emphasises that humour helps brands engage audiences without making them feel like they’re being sold to. Instead of pushing products, the most memorable ads entertain.

“There’s loads of data that I wish I could spit out about how if you have emotionally engaged people, if you look through humour, through great storytelling, the affiliation that people have towards the brand doesn’t feel like they’re being sold to. I think brands so often fall into selling as opposed to entertaining.

"It was always the funny [ads] you remembered. It was always the stupid ones. It was always the dumb ones you remembered. You don’t remember the one of the car winding down the road, because they’re all the same. Humour is a very definite way of making brands stand out.”

It also mirrors real-world social dynamics. As Brim puts it: “If you walk into a party, you’re going to go to the corner where people are laughing. You don’t want to be the person that’s being really rational. You want to be with the raconteur telling amazing stories.”

In short, humour is more than just a tool—it’s a strategy that makes brands feel human, relatable, and unforgettable. When done right, it ensures that audiences don’t just watch an ad; they enjoy it, share it, and, most importantly, remember it.

How to make unskippable content

The threat of the skip button looms large over both traditional advertising and TikTok content. Galustian highlights a crucial strategy that focuses on creating intrigue in the first five seconds.

She says: “I think you mentioned it earlier about saying the brand name in the first five seconds or something. I think the first five seconds on TikTok is paramount to whether that's going to be a successful video or not. So really, the second your video starts, you need a powerful hook.”

To keep viewers engaged, creators need to give a preview of the best part early on without giving the gag away.

Equally, analytics are a really useful tool to refine content. Galustian says: “The good thing about TikTok is you can check your analytics, so it tells you how many seconds of your video people watch. So it might say, like, generally, people skip this video after six seconds, which is so interesting, because it tells you then, like, right after six seconds, what’s happening? Why are people losing interest? What aren’t they getting?”

By blending humour, intrigue, and analytics, content creators can craft videos that hold attention and keep viewers engaged—ensuring their content doesn’t just get seen but actually watched to the end.

You can watch the whole conversation, uninterrupted, below.