When headlines were heavy and audiences craved escapism, comedy—grounded in broad appeal—became one of H1’s most effective creative plays. As political discourse, global conflict, and economic uncertainty dominated the news cycle, brands turned to humor that could connect across divides.
Doritos, PayPal, and Gorilla Glue leaned into quirky, crowd-pleasing storytelling in their video ads, earning the highest Funny Scores of the half.
Following the Super Bowl’s lead—where 85% of the funniest ads relied on non-polarizing humor—the first half of the year continued to reward levity without controversy.
The brands below embraced accessible comedy and saw it pay off in strong audience Likeability and Brand Recognition.
Doritos’ Set the Bar
The entire Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign was a crash course in comedy, with the 30-second “Abduction” spot topping the H1 Funniest Ads list with a Funny Score of 8.6/10. It didn’t stop there—the ad exceeded the candy & snack category norm by +12 points in Likeability and earned a 93% Brand Recognition score, proving that a simple, absurd setup (involving a chip, aliens, and a backyard lawn) can still resonate with mass audiences.
#1 Funniest Ad of H1: Doritos “Crash the Super Bowl – Abduction” (0:30)
Funny Ads Drive Brand Recall, Too
Humor didn’t just win laughs, it helped drive brand recognition. When comedy aligns with brand identity, it becomes more than entertaining; it becomes effective.
Gorilla Glue’s “Bat” spot is proof: in just 15 seconds, it delivered a 7.3/10 Funny Score, +10 pts. over the Likeability norm in the household goods category, and an impressive 89% Brand Recognition. Characters were the standout element, helping the ad punch above its weight in both memorability and impact.
Across the top 10, many ads followed suit—blending humor and branding in a way that stuck.
#3 Funniest Ad of H1: Gorilla Glue “Bat” (0:15)
Funny Ads Drive Brand Recall, Too
Humor didn’t just win laughs, it helped drive brand recognition. When comedy aligns with brand identity, it becomes more than entertaining; it becomes effective.
Gorilla Glue’s “Bat” spot is proof: in just 15 seconds, it delivered a 7.3/10 Funny Score, +10 pts. over the Likeability norm in the household goods category, and an impressive 89% Brand Recognition. Characters were the standout element, helping the ad punch above its weight in both memorability and impact.
Across the top 10, many ads followed suit—blending humor and branding in a way that stuck.
#3 Funniest Ad of H1: Gorilla Glue “Bat” (0:15)
The Bottom Line
Ads that entertain without alienating—and make audiences laugh without missing the brand—are cutting through. The top-performing spots of H1 2025 show that comedy doesn’t need to shock to be effective. With the right balance of charm, timing, and brand alignment, humor continues to be a powerful tool for connection and recall.
See the full ranking of funniest ads of H1 and get more creative insights in the H1 2025 TV Transparency Report.