A man recalls that when he first heard the name ClickUp, he thought it referred to a martial arts move called a kickup. What follows is a slapstick montage of him repeatedly failing to master the move in different scenic spots. Then inspiration strikes: after spotting a ClickUp billboard, he launches the Academy of Epic Kickups—a dojo devoted entirely to the move.
Inside the academy, students flail and stumble through their kickups, but the sensei calmly manages it all using ClickUp. On his laptop, he tracks student goals, monitors progress reports, and organizes the chaos into structure. The ad wraps with the entire class celebrating their (implied) success, thanks to ClickUp.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
The bait-and-switch pun = A memorable misinterpretation
The entire story is powered by a single pun: confusing ClickUp with kickup. This misheard word becomes the foundation for a narrative that’s quirky, unexpected, and impossible to forget.
→ Lesson: Transform your brand name into a visual or physical joke to cement it in memory.
Absurdist customer story = A fake but unforgettable case study
Instead of showing a typical testimonial, the ad invents a completely fictional business: a dojo teaching one single martial arts move. It’s absurd, but it highlights ClickUp’s flexibility in a fun and engaging way.
→ Lesson: Showcase your product in an over-the-top, fictional scenario to make the demo itself entertaining.
Integrated product demo = ClickUp in the dojo
ClickUp isn’t shown as a detached screen share—it’s woven directly into the story. The sensei holds the laptop during class, using features like progress reports to connect the digital tool with the physical chaos around him.
→ Lesson: Embed your product inside the story, solving problems in real time rather than explaining them separately.
Humor Breakdown
The comedy blends slapstick and surrealism. Watching people fail at kickups is funny, but the bigger laugh comes from the absurdity of founding an entire dojo on a misheard name. The ad works because it commits completely to the ridiculous concept and plays it with a straight face.
→ Lesson: The more seriously you treat a silly idea, the funnier—and more memorable—it becomes.
Final Verdict
ClickUp takes a bold risk here: it barely talks about features. Instead, it wraps its product demo inside a surreal, laugh-out-loud story that makes the brand name unforgettable. It proves that sometimes the best marketing isn’t about explaining—it’s about entertaining.
BRAVE-o-meter Score
B: 9 | R: 7 | A: 9 | V: 8 | E: 7
BRAVE – 8.0/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: ClickUp.com
LinkedIn: ClickUp on LinkedIn
