Zendesk’s Champions of Many Happy Returns ad offers a humorous and heartwarming take on customer service. In this commercial, Zendesk highlights the power of good customer service in creating positive, memorable experiences for both customers and businesses. The ad follows a series of “returns,” where a variety of characters experience stellar customer service that solves their problems quickly and efficiently. The central theme: Zendesk makes customer service feel less like a hassle and more like a smooth, rewarding process.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Relatable Situations = Instant Connection – The ad taps into the common frustration of product returns and poor customer service. By showing how Zendesk turns those frustrations into satisfying experiences, the brand immediately connects with the audience.
→ Lesson: Tackle relatable pain points that your audience deals with on a daily basis to quickly build rapport.
Humor + Real-World Problems = Memorable Moments – By playing with the absurdity of extreme customer service situations (such as overly enthusiastic responses to simple returns), Zendesk adds a lighthearted twist to a business-critical issue.
→ Lesson: Infuse humor into common challenges to make the message stick and be more shareable.
Clear Message = Simple, Effective Communication – Zendesk’s solution is presented clearly without over-complicating things. The ad shows how their platform can make customer service smooth and seamless for businesses, with minimal jargon and maximum impact.
→ Lesson: Clarity is key. Keep the message simple, straightforward, and easy to understand.
Product as the Enabler = Not Overly Product-Centric – The ad doesn’t bombard the viewer with a laundry list of features. Instead, Zendesk subtly shows how their tool helps brands deliver outstanding customer service.
→ Lesson: Focus on demonstrating the benefits of your product, rather than getting lost in technical features.
Humor Breakdown:
The ad uses situational humor to highlight the absurdity of bad customer service experiences, with exaggerated customer reactions to simple returns, playing on the idea that exceptional customer service is a rarity that feels almost too good to be true. The dry humor and absurdity of these situations make the ad both engaging and funny without being over the top.
Final Verdict
Zendesk successfully conveys its value through humor and relatability. By turning the mundane process of returns into a fun, lighthearted experience, Zendesk demonstrates that great customer service doesn’t have to be hard—it can be seamless, efficient, and, most importantly, memorable.
Brave-o-meter score:
B-8 | R-9 | A-8 | V-8 | E-9
BRAVE – 8.4/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: Zendesk
LinkedIn: Zendesk LinkedIn Page
