Fergus McCallum, Chief Executive Officer at TBWAMCR, joins us to talk about the comeback of humor in advertising. We dive into why brands moved away from funny campaigns, how humor can tackle sensitive topics, and what it takes to make a joke land without backfiring. Fergus shares examples from his work and insights on how humor is connecting with audiences again—especially as platforms and Gen Z shape the future of advertising.
Any global event, whether sport or entertainment, creates the same temptation for brands to prioritise presence over purpose. But the biggest lesson from this World Cup is not that brands need to shout louder, it is that promotional activity performs best when it reflects how people actually experience the tournament.
The brands that succeed over the next decade will be the ones that rediscover the simple truth of why they exist, and stretch towards the dream of how they can add more to the world, then express that clearly and consistently in everything they do.
When agencies are able to demonstrate likely outcomes before campaigns launch, conversations become less speculative and more evidence-based.
