Borrowing a famous scene to earn instant recognition
Johnny Vegas and Monkey recreate the famous “fake orgasm” scene from When Harry Met Sally, in the latest spot for PG Tips teabags.
How the idea works: pop-culture as a shortcut
The mechanism is simple. Pick a scene the audience already knows, then swap in your characters so the viewer does the pattern matching for you. Recognition arrives fast, and the ad gets a free head start on attention.
In UK FMCG advertising, parody can be a high-efficiency device because it compresses setup time. The viewer brings the context, the brand supplies the twist.
Why it lands: shared memory plus character chemistry
It works because the reference is collective. People enjoy being “in on it”, and the PG Tips Monkey plus Johnny Vegas dynamic makes the imitation feel playful rather than forced.
The business intent: make a commodity feel culturally present
Teabags are not a high-involvement product. So the job is distinctiveness. This approach uses humour and familiar cultural material to make the brand easier to remember and easier to talk about.
What to steal if you are using parody without becoming a copycat
- Choose a reference your audience actually shares. If recognition fails, the ad becomes confusing.
- Make the twist brand-owned. Do not just recreate. Add a character or behaviour only your brand can deliver.
- Keep the pacing tight. Parody works best when the “aha” arrives quickly.
- Use comedy to increase recall, not distract from it. The laugh should point back to the brand.
A few fast answers before you act
What is this PG Tips ad doing?
It parodies a famous scene from “When Harry Met Sally” by recreating it with the PG Tips Monkey and Johnny Vegas to earn instant recognition and humour.
What is the core mechanism?
Pop-culture as a shortcut. The viewer brings the context, and the brand supplies the twist, so attention arrives faster than a fresh setup would allow.
Why does parody help memory when it is done well?
Recognition creates a quick “I know this” moment, and the shared reference makes the ad feel culturally present rather than purely commercial.
What is the risk to manage with parody?
If the reference overwhelms the brand, the audience remembers the scene but forgets the advertiser. The twist must be brand-owned.
What is the most transferable takeaway?
Choose a reference your audience truly shares, deliver the “aha” quickly, and make the brand-specific twist the reason the parody exists.