Is it true that only simple minded people enjoy low humor? If so, there’s little hope for me. I crack up every time I see that Snickers Peanut Butter Squared focus group ad.

I read Steve Hall’s AdRANT post questioning how sharks can sell candy when they can’t even walk out of the ocean, and admittedly that has a lot to do with what makes me laugh so hard. The concept is ludicrous, and that’s part of what makes it so funny.

The ad opens on a dowdy focus group facilitator starting to debrief her, as yet, unseen participants. So far pretty standard stuff. But then the shot widens to include the group she’s debriefing; a bunch of fake looking sharks standing around the corporate conference table. Hmmm, that’s different.

The moderator calmly goes on to ask her focus group participants which of the two humans they ate tasted better; a bit shocking.

And then they really bring it home! Clearly Steve tasted better than Lisa, they explain as they “talk with their fins” and rub their bellies in remembrance of delicious Steve. At this point I’ve usually begun to (pardon the pun) snicker.

The expressive sharks now try to articulate, with both words and gestures, that there was a subtle flavor to Steve that made him their clear preference. Shark foodies – who knew?

But what really puts me over the top is the moderator’s response to their preference of Steve. Of course Steve was better, Lisa had eaten a peanut butter cup just prior to being consumed, but Steve ate Snicker’s Peanut Butter Squared.

God love them, they managed to take that outrageous farce and pay it off with a strong product endorsement – you’re better off eating people who have eaten Snicker’s Peanut Butter Squared. Can you think of anyone who could argue this point intelligently? I’d say not.

But it doesn’t just end there. Our moderator provides her group with positive feedback – they got it right. And Snicker’s Peanut Butter filled Steve was just too irresistible not to ask for seconds. Double pay off!