Creative effectiveness platform System1 has today revealed the public’s take on Cannes Film Lions Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners using its ‘Test Your Ad’ measurement proposition.
According to System1, the results mirrored 2023’s major trend of humour being used an award-winning element, with over half (52%) of the winners being seen as ‘intentionally funny’, up from 43% last year.
This renewed focus on humour has apparently come at the expense of purpose, which has controversially dominated advertising over the last several years.
Whilst five award-winning ads from last year’s festival would be considered ‘purpose-led’, only one of the winners could be considered so this year.
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“More and more brands are realising that to grow you should entertain for commercial gain – so it’s great to see a return to funny advertising,” System1 chief customer officer, Jon Evans said.
“Humour is a time-honoured way of helping to create positive feeling and capture attention. McDonalds, Apple and Marmite show you can do surreal, satirical and slapstick comedy and not only win a Lion but win over the broader audience as well.”
System1’s Test Your Ad found McDonald’s ‘Raise Your Arches’ to be the highest scoring among the public, registering an impressive 4.7 stars for its boldly humour-led creative.
The measurement tool did also note however that edgy humour was often very hit-or-miss, potentially disrupting the intended comedic effect of the ad, rendering less effective overall.
