A flame-eating baby. A fishmonger in need of a keyboard. A man on a horse your man could smell like. Burger King, KPN, Old Spice. When measurability and ROI are high on the agenda, that kind of work feels like heresy. If every impression has to lead to a click, and every click to a conversion, there’s little room left for it. And yet, some of the most effective campaigns in recent history are unapologetically absurd.
The science behind absurd ads
This isn’t a rebellion against effectiveness. Quite the opposite. Research shows absurdity can increase ad effectiveness, when deployed with skill. Studies in advertising psychology suggest that incongruity, once resolved, leads to more attention and better recall. It’s the brain’s love for pattern-breaking and puzzle-solving. Absurdity grabs attention, holds it, and makes the message stick. Especially in a feed full of sameness.
But there’s a catch. Absurd advertising only works when the tension it creates resolves into brand meaning. If the punchline leads nowhere, the laugh doesn’t land. If the weirdness overshadows the who, your media budget just funded a surreal short film. Testing consistently shows that emotional impact must be linked to a clear brand moment. The goat in the bathroom has to sell something. And we have to remember what.
Absurdity doesn’t just work cognitively, it works socially. It signals identity. It draws lines. You’re either in on the joke or you’re not. That’s part of the charm, and part of the risk. Because absurdity polarises. It creates lovers and haters. Advocates and sceptics. The same ad that makes one person laugh out loud makes another reach for the mute button. Brands like Oatly, Liquid Death, or Old Spice thrive on this divide. They aim to land with someone, and they accept that the rest switch off.
How audiences respond to absurd advertising
Different groups process absurdity differently. It comes down to mindset far more than age. People who score higher in openness to experience are more likely to embrace surreal or incongruent messages. Others might view it as noise, distraction, or even disrespect. Context matters too: a start-up with nothing to lose can play with absurdity. A bank during a crisis? Less so.
So when should brands embrace absurdity? When they want to break through noise, be remembered, and look culturally current. When the brand can afford to be playful, strange, or divisive. And most of all, when absurdity says something true about the brand’s point of view.
Because absurdity is the opposite of predictability, and strategy has nothing to fear from it. Sometimes the most effective thing a brand can do is surprise you.
