he ad parodies the Running of the Bulls—but instead of bulls, it’s squirrels. Styled like a serious documentary, people dressed in white with red scarves speak about the dangers of “running with squirrels.” Interviewees give dramatic advice like “think like a squirrel” and “respect the squirrel.” Meanwhile, visuals show swarms of squirrels chasing crowds in slow motion. At the end, bold text appears: “It’s not the big, lumbering competitors you need to worry about. We’ll help you compete with the quick, nimble ones.” The EDS logo appears with the tagline: “Solved.”
The Formula (That Works at Any Budget)
Insight twist
The ad shifts focus from big competitors to smaller, faster ones—framing them as the real threat. It plays on the idea that companies often underestimate these nimble challengers.
→ Lesson: Highlight a risk your audience isn’t thinking about yet.
Absurd metaphor
By replacing bulls with squirrels, the ad takes a well-known tradition and gives it a strange, unforgettable twist.
→ Lesson: Use unexpected analogies to make complex business ideas easy to remember.
Deadpan tone
Everything is delivered with complete seriousness, which makes the visual chaos of squirrel stampedes even more effective and funny.
→ Lesson: Serious tone paired with absurd visuals creates strong contrast and keeps viewers engaged.
Humor Breakdown
The humor works through contrast. You see intense interviews and cinematic drama, but the danger is squirrels. That mismatch—serious delivery versus ridiculous threat—makes it funny and memorable. It’s not slapstick. It’s satire with a smart message about business competition.
→ Lesson: Use tonal contrast to make B2B comedy feel clever, not cheap.
Final Verdict
EDS takes a bizarre concept and turns it into a sharp business message. “Running of the Squirrels” is weird, bold, and strategic. It delivers a clear point: the small players are the ones to watch. With high production quality and a smart twist on traditional storytelling, this ad proves B2B doesn’t have to be boring.
BRAVE-o-meter score
B-8 | R-9 | A-8 | V-7 | E-7
BRAVE – 7.8/10
Watch the full ad & learn more:
Website: https://eds.com
LinkedIn: EDS on LinkedIn
