The Comedy Focus

This year’s funniest focus features interviews, profiles and opinion pieces from advertising’s leading purveyors of hilarity. Have the world’s recent woes led to a loss of LOLs in marketing or is comedy even more crucial than before?

Talent

Guy Shelmerdine’s lasting laughs

From toilet humour to technical wizardry, SMUGGLER director Guy Shelmerdine’s versatile style and commitment to craft has produced some of the most laugh-out-loud spots of the past 20 years. He tells Selena Schleh about coaxing comic moments from celebrities and why his brand of humour is always evolving.

Insight

The search for the Loch Ness Mom-ster

Brand New School director Anais La Rocca gives a witty account of the truths around being the most elusive of industry's players: a working director and new mother.

Insight

Dark times call for dark comedy

Laughter is the best medicine, they say. But times like these need more than medicine, humanity needs life support, and it comes in the shape of dark comedy, says Dave Billing, ECD at Fold7. Here he explores how advertising is turning to gallows humour in the face of bleak times.

Insight

What ad land can learn from stand up comedy

Earlier this year Truant London’s Associate Creative Director duo Charlie Lindsay and George Bartlett took a stand up comedy course and, here, impart the lessons they learned (including not telling risqué jokes at a family dinner), and how they can be applied to their day job.

Insight

Laughing matters

Back in 2019, shots looked for the lols surrounding the issue of women in comedy advertising and was left unamused. Here, Tim Cumming chats to a range of women directors and producers to find out what’s changed, and what still needs to change.

Insight

Amusing acoustics: how music can bring the mirth in comedy ads

Al Mills, Joint ECD at independent creative agency Impero, explores how brands can tap into the comedic potential of music to leave a lasting impression on their audience.

Inspiration

Trevor Gourley: A Few Of My Favourite Things

Former creative director and current comedy director extraordinaire Trevor Gourley (repped by OB Management) talks us through the viewfinders, life-changers, and monitor-raisers that keep his creativity buzzing.

Inspiration

On My Radar: Daniel Lundh

HAMLET director Daniel Lundh talks about his comedy inspirations - from TV shows to directors and performers - as he reveals what's on his creative radar.

Talent

Emma Parkinson's comic relief

After a stint in street casting and 'serious' directing, Blink's Emma Parkinson rediscovered her passion for making people laugh through film, and her Yarns-winning debut comedy Dishes Dishes Dishes shortly followed. She discusses the power of intimate humour, her love of uncomfortable eye contact, and the therapeutic reprieve of a relatable joke.

Insight

English humour: not as alien to New York as you might think

Americans just don't get British humour, right? Wrong, says Jack Moriarty, Senior Creative at The Romans, who sets out his argument against the belief that British and American humour just don't gel.

Insight

Jonnie Malachi gets surreal about comedy

Jonnie Malachi has just released a new, surreal short film about a sandwich that comes to life. Here, the director discusses the project and the polarising response it received, why the surreal has always appealed, and whether the fear of being too edgy has meant advertising's spiky corners have been smoothed out.

Insight

The kids are alright (and funnier than us)

Kids say - and do - the funniest things and many brands utilise that in their campaigns. But getting children to be funny and natural isn't always easy. Vincent Lin, Director & Co-Founder at Valiant Pictures, has experience in these matters and, here, shares some insight into getting the most out of young peoples' performances.

Insight

Brendan Gibbons' comedy casting masterclass

Making a comedic commercial can live or die by the casting choices you make. Station Film director Brendan Gibbons is no stranger to finding the funny in people and, here, reveals his thoughts on the casting process, why working with celebrities and sports stars needs a different approach, and the importance of a casting director.

Insight

Facing a funny future; an interview by AI

Unit9 comedy writer and director Hal Kirkland discusses art exhibitions and what is possible when comedy and technology dare to entwine by interviewing himself using ChatGPT.

When cars ads meet comedy: driving success through humour

How I got my comedy superpower

Stand-up and be counted; why comedy can make you a better creative

Insight

Why comedy's making a comeback

'Sadvertising' may be laudable and purpose is praiseworthy but, in advertising terms, comedy is often king. Curro Piqueras, Executive Creative Director at DUDE London argues that making people laugh can be beneficial both to the consumer and the brand.

Inspiration

BARBARA: A Few Of My Favourite Things

Merman Branded's hilarious directing duo BARBARA (aka Rachel Stubbings and Ben Mallaby) team up to talk us through creepy dolls, neon hearts and lovable ornaments that keep their comedic juices flowing.

Talent

Thomas Ormonde; the surreal McCoy

After swapping animation for live-action MindsEye director Thomas Ormonde followed the funny and, after being inspired by surreal TV shows and other advertising eccentrics, now takes comedy seriously. He discusses the impact of being an only child and his love for the out-of-the-ordinary.

Inspiration

On My Radar: Rob Soucy

Newly signed to Odelay Films, US director Rob Soucy talks crossed lines during a lockdown commercial shoot, and the people and films that make him laugh as he reveals what's on his comedy radar.

Inspiration

Peer Review: James Norris

From the excruciating humour of The Office to the classic comedic cutting of The League of Gentlemen, Nomad editor James Norris gives us a comprehensive tour of the work and contemporaries that inspire him.

Insight

‘Ave it! Why using humour is no joke

July sees the start of our Comedy Focus and, opening the set, Charlie Lindsay, Associate Creative Director at Truant London, underscores why humour is such a powerful weapon in advertising's arsenal, and why there's no time like the present to hit peoples' funny bone.

Inspiration

Kate Hollowell: A Few Of My Favourite Things

Epoch Films director Kate Hollowell compiles a self-made bestseller, a ridiculous chair and a pair of sad clowns into one of the most absurd eBay listings Favourite Things of all time...