CAN(NES) SPORT DO HUMOUR? — The Space Between

By Pete Oller

This year, Cannes Lions added a humour category, allowing agencies to submit comedic work. This isn’t surprising. Recent research from Oracle suggests that 90% of consumers say they’re more likely to remember a funny ad and 72% would select a humorous brand over the competition. As pointed out by The Space Between’s co-founder Adam Raincock in a recent blog, sport has a tendency to take itself too seriously and hasn’t always capitalised on the power of humour.

So how well did submissions to Entertainment Lions for Sport category stack up in the comedy stakes? Out of the 661 entries, only 32 were entered into the humour category and only 3 were awarded (1 bronze and 2 shortlist). Not great at a macro level, but delve into the entries – including those that didn’t get the plaudits – and there were plenty that hit the funny bone. Here are some of my favourites:

VICTORIA BITTER – England Bitter

First one, is some great work from Victoria Bitter. I love it when a client commits to a creative story, and there is no better way to do this than putting the ice-cold product front and centre. It brilliantly tapped into the culture of cricket (and sport) with some harmless sledging. Just like cricket, it’s all about your delivery.

DISTANCE: Rob it to Get it

The next one wasn’t submitted to the humour category – but offers an ironic and fun take on a subject. You might have seen it: pranks of people pretending to steal a pair of trainers – with the petrified Foot Locker kid wondering if they are going to have to chase the prankster. With shoplifting rife across the globe, this idea may have felt like dangerous ground – but the playfulness of it works. The use of an elite sprinter as the security guard you had to outrun brought a whole different level to an experiential competition.

TESTICULAR CANCER SOCIETY – Highlight Your Balls

Another campaign that wasn’t submitted in the humour category was ‘Highlight your balls’. An important message about the need for men to check their testicles. It uses the universal truth that when men or boys are in a wall defending a free-kick, they all cup their balls for protection, to give us YouTube pre-rolls of a man checking his balls over his shorts. Funny content with crucial call to action – great mix.

HOTELS.COM – Hotel Like a Pro

In the US, it feels like they have been using humour in sport a little better than this side of the pond. This might be down to the ability for US athletes to be a tad better than our beloved British athletes at acting. When you’ve got jokers like NBA icons Jokic and Butler, you can rest assured that they won’t just deliver, but will be up for being quirky and irreverent. A recipe for success.

PARAMOUNT+ – Nobody Watches Like U.S.

Another Stateside example, but in a European space: the Champions League. Soccer and USA is an interesting combo– especially given when the matches take place. The Premier League coverage can dominate mornings, giving the broadcasters an ownable spot in TV schedule. But the Champions League is played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with US soccer fans having to find excuses to get out of work if they want to watch it. A real fun fan truth to play with.

There we have it. Sport and humour going hand in hand, the perfect teammate, the alley-oop, the old one-two punch, etcetera. Not easily done – but in a world where we are bombarded with messages, and we’re constantly seeking that elusive cut through, maybe not taking sport so seriously could be the real winner.