One thing I’ve noticed about my generation is that almost everything – whether sad, frustrating, intense, or meaningful – eventually becomes a joke online. It’s part of internet culture. Memes, hot takes, ironic commentary, and absurd humor dominate social media. Nothing stays serious for long.
That same cultural shift has started to show up in marketing.
As more Gen Z creators and marketers enter the workforce, brands are increasingly adopting the same humor-driven, chaotic tone that thrives online. In many cases, the goal isn’t traditional storytelling or polished production… It’s attention.
Case in point: Why the Nutter Butter TikTok works
A perfect example is the Nutter Butter TikTok account. If you’ve come across the videos, you know exactly what I mean. The content is aggressively goofy: overstimulating visuals, low-budget effects, chaotic edits, and personified Nutter Butter cookies doing everything from walking in heels to playing on playgrounds. Sparkles, fairies, flying graphics, colorful fonts… The entire aesthetic feels intentionally absurd.
From a traditional marketing perspective, it almost feels wrong. But, from a social media perspective, it works. The account has amassed millions of followers and tens of millions of likes, proving that bold, unconventional content can capture attention in an extremely crowded digital environment.
When advertising becomes the joke
And to be clear, taking risks in marketing is often necessary. But it raises an interesting question: are we reaching a point where advertising itself becomes the joke?
Consider the response to the recent American Eagle campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney. Almost immediately, the internet was flooded with memes, parody videos, and reenactments of the ads. The campaign undeniably generated attention. But the conversation quickly shifted away from the brand’s intended message and toward internet humor and criticism.
Balancing chaotic content with brand identity
That’s the tension brands are navigating today. On one hand, chaotic, meme-driven content can break through the noise. On the other hand, when everything becomes ironic or unserious, the actual story behind the brand can get lost.
Consumers are already overwhelmed with content. When brands lean too heavily into humor or absurdity, the message risks becoming secondary to the spectacle. And storytelling has historically been the core of effective marketing.
Why storytelling still beats the algorithm
The brands that tend to build long-term loyalty aren’t just the loudest or the funniest. They’re the ones that create meaning… brands that communicate a clear identity, values, and narrative that resonates with people beyond a single viral moment.
The challenge for marketers today isn’t choosing between humor and storytelling. It’s figuring out how to capture the attention without sacrificing meaning. Because attention might win the algorithm, but storytelling is what builds the brand.
Jenna Eisenberg – Research Manager
