The Appeal of Prank Advertising

Real people, not actors. A single chance at the perfect execution. Prank advertising is risky, but when done right, it’s awesome.

This week, Heineken released a brilliant ad revolving around an elaborate prank at a soccer game. The ad introduces four soccer-loving friends who always watch the big game together. Then, one friend gets a single VIP ticket and tries to sneak away from game day traditions with his friends. Unbeknownst to him, his friends were in on the scheme, and ready to call him out in front of the entire stadium.

This is certainly not the first time advertisers have conducted a complex scheme to sell a product. The question is—what’s the appeal?

I would argue prank advertising is a straightforward and entertaining way to weave a narrative into an advertisement. The use of real people, real places, and real reactions only makes the story more relatable to consumers.

For example, soccer lovers can easily insert themselves or their friends into Heineken’s campaign. The ad is believable because it is actually real. For brands like Heineken trying to evoke a down-to-earth, authentic identity, the prank advertising approach is affective.

However, prank advertising certainly won’t work for every company. Brands attempting to evoke a high-brow, elite image would probably not benefit from prank advertising because prank advertising tends to speak more to the commonality of us as people rather than the distinctions of elite society.

All in all, prank advertising is a creative way to promote a brand and advertise a product. There are endless possibilities.