The ad opens with the grainy look of a 90s music video. A man sings a power ballad about leaving spreadsheets behind. Suddenly, it shifts into a parody of a NOW That’s What I Call Music! infomercial. An over-the-top announcer introduces a fake compilation album called NOW That’s What I Call HR. We see a montage of boy bands, country singers, and pop stars performing songs with HR-themed titles like “Bye Bye Bye, ADP” and “Back That Workflow Up.” It ends with a blue-screen call-to-action, perfectly copying the retro infomercial style.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Painful truth = Legacy HR software is stuck in the past
Rippling frames outdated HR systems as cheesy 90s ballads—painful, clunky, and irrelevant today.
→ Lesson: Show your competitors as relics of the past to make your product look modern by comparison.
Nostalgic parody = A flawless 90s throwback
From VHS tracking lines to cringey fonts and overacted performances, the ad nails every detail of the era.
→ Lesson: Go all-in on nostalgia to create instant recognition and make your message feel like an inside joke.
Benefits as hit songs = Features turned into hooks
Instead of a feature list, Rippling uses fake song titles like “Siloed Systems Broke My Heart.” They’re funny, catchy, and far more memorable.
→ Lesson: Wrap your benefits in entertaining, repeatable soundbites instead of boring copy.
Humor Breakdown
The comedy works because Rippling plays it straight. The announcer’s over-excitement, the earnest singers, and the absurd HR-themed lyrics all feel authentic to the 90s. The parody lands because it’s executed with total seriousness.
→ Lesson: The more seriously you treat a silly idea, the funnier it gets.
Final Verdict
This isn’t just an ad—it’s a cultural parody. Rippling takes a boring B2B category and makes it hilarious, nostalgic, and shareable. By committing fully to the bit, it creates a SaaS ad people actually want to watch again.
BRAVE-o-meter Score:
B: 9 | R: 8 | A: 8 | V: 8 | E: 9
Final Score: 8.4/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: https://www.rippling.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rippling
