Relieving the pressure
Absurdist humor has historically resurfaced in moments of heightened social and political tension, a. Slivka pointed to to Dadaism, a movement that emerged during World War I as a rejection of logic and order.
“It was fighting an absurd time in history with absurdity,” he said. “I think that’s very much where we are right now. The work reflects that, but in a way that sidesteps polarizing issues and goes back to something very human.”
That “human” reaction—surprise, discomfort, laughter—is precisely what brands are betting on as they try to stand out without alienating large swaths of the country.
Still, comedy can be risky—especially when it comes to bathroom jokes. “There’s a line you can’t cross where it becomes crass or starts to destroy the brand equities you’ve worked so hard to build,” Slivka said. “Some people might laugh, some might not—but it can’t be a detriment.”
Weird for a reason
Liquid I.V., for its part, considered its bathroom-centric ad carefully. CMO Stacey Andrade-Wells said the surreal setup is anchored in a specific behavioral insight and aims to spark awareness around dehydration by leaning into a surprisingly common habit.
“Fifty-nine percent of Americans are looking at their pee before they flush,” she said. “That’s an opportunity to drive conversation about a sign of dehydration, inspire dialog, and ultimately change people’s behaviors.”
While an ad with singing toilets is a silly and a little gross, the key is using absurdity to get a point across about the product that will encourage people to want to try it.
“If you’re using absurdity just for the purposes of absurdity, you might get a little bit of conversation,” Andrade-Wells said. “But ultimately, you’re not going to land what you want, which is for people to remember the brand and try it out.”
With its Raisin Bran ad, WK Kellogg Co is also using potty humor to spotlight a taboo topic—gut health and fiber consumption—a conversation the brand believes it has earned the right to be a part of.
“Our feeling is that we’ll bring some humor and humanity to a topic that can be awkward,” said Doug VandeVelde, chief growth officer, WK Kellogg Co. “Not lecture people, but deliver something that will spark an a-ha moment.”
