Paycom continues its Unnecessary Action Hero series with a delightfully absurd Episode 5, where our suited-up hero takes on the ultimate workplace villain: manually entering HR data. This time, he somersaults, cartwheels, and backflips his way across an office—gymnast-style—to deliver a message loud and clear: there’s an easier way to manage HR and payroll.
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget):
Over-the-Top Action Hero = Instant Contrast
The absurdity of hiring a gymnastics-level action star to do something as mundane as HR data entry is what hooks viewers. It creates a sharp (and hilarious) contrast between over-complication and what Paycom actually offers—streamlined, self-service HR tech.
→ Lesson: Dramatize your customer’s current pain by showing how ridiculous it is to keep doing things the hard way.
Running Gag Format = Brand Consistency
The episodic nature of this campaign reinforces brand familiarity. The audience knows what’s coming (absurdity), but they stay for the new twist each time.
→ Lesson: Build a creative structure that can be reused. Series = repeatable, recognizable, and binge-worthy.
Straight Man + Chaos = Comedy Chemistry
The action hero is serious. The situation is not. And the calm office workers around him treat it all like normal—which makes it even funnier.
→ Lesson: Pairing exaggerated behavior with dry reactions adds a comedic layer that’s inexpensive to produce and endlessly effective.
Visual Metaphor = Product Simplicity
Instead of demoing the software, the video shows what life shouldn’t look like—then closes with the clean, simple alternative: “There’s a better way to do business.”
→ Lesson: Use visual metaphors to highlight complexity. Then present your product as the elegant fix.
Humor Breakdown:
This ad’s humor is entirely built on absurd physical comedy and the juxtaposition of Mission Impossible-style effort with a simple, modern software solution. Watching a grown man vault through the air to do paperwork is so over-the-top, it circles back to being genius. It’s also a clever dig at companies still stuck in outdated systems.
Final Verdict:
Episode 5 is another strong entry in Paycom’s “Unnecessary Action Hero” series. It reinforces the brand’s message—HR tech should be effortless—by showing the exact opposite. A great blend of B2B clarity and comedy, designed to be memorable, rewatchable, and shareable.
BRAVE-o-meter Score:
B-8 | R-9 | A-9 | V-9 | E-9
BRAVE – 8.8/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: Paycom.com
LinkedIn: Paycom
