Omnicom Advertising and Snapchat have collaborated to launch ‘How to laugh (and win) with the next generation’ report. The global study explores how Gen Z and Gen Alpha use humour to build relationships, signal belonging, navigate culture and decide which brands earn their attention.

Findings from the report:

• 87% of the next generation say humour is how their generation talks about serious things, with 90% of them stating it helps them express what they otherwise wouldn’t say directly.
• 91% pay closer attention to funny brands, 88% are more likely to consider buying from one and 93% go on to tell others about it.
• The generation actively likes it when brands are willing to make fun of themselves. But their tolerance for humour that feels forced or culturally out of touch is low.

S Subramanyeswar (Subbu), chief strategy officer – India, and chief knowledge officer – Asia, Omnicom Advertising, said, “Humour has always been one of culture’s most powerful forms of social currency. What is changing is its speed, its codes and who gets to define what is funny. For India’s Next Gen, humour is far more than entertainment. It is a language of belonging, intimacy and even truth. That creates an enormous opportunity for brands, but also a new standard. You cannot manufacture your way into the joke. You have to understand the culture that created it. The brands that do will not merely make people laugh. They will earn the right to be part of the conversation.”