11 ads that nailed parody, emotion, and star power

From Samsung's therapy couch to Kate McKinnon's evil CEO plot, this week's best campaigns lean into humor and heart.

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Sep 18, 2026

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11 ads that nailed parody, emotion, and star power

From Samsung's therapy couch to Kate McKinnon's evil CEO plot, this week's best campaigns lean into humor and heart.

In brief

From Samsung's therapy couch to Kate McKinnon's evil CEO plot, this week's best campaigns lean into humor and heart. The week's standout ads succeed by either spoofing viral moments with a twist or tapping into genuine human emotions, with Samsung and Chevrolet leading the pack. Originally reported by Adweek.

Samsung therapy tackles phone anxiety

Dr. Orna Guralnik from Showtime's Couples Therapy sits down with reality TV stars and NFL players to help them work through their phone-switching fears. They leave ready to upgrade to the Galaxy Z Fold7 or Galaxy S26.

Goodwipes spoofs OpenAI's viral Astra

This quick-turnaround parody starts subtle but escalates into bathroom humor as users are revealed sitting on toilets. Wind sounds build to a crescendo as the joke lands.

Kate McKinnon plots to destroy Zoom

Kate McKinnon plots to destroy Zoom

The SNL star plays a cartoonish CEO plotting Zoom's demise, only to become captivated by the platform's features. A talking stuffed raccoon steals scenes in this 60-second Broadway-style extravaganza.

Sonos rebuilds trust after app disaster

The audio brand's repositioning campaign uses emotional, artistic ads to recover from a 2024 app update that cost $500 million in stock value. The message: Sonos is a complete, connected sound system that can "puncture your calloused soul."

“puncture your calloused soul”

JCPenney becomes a fashion authority

The retailer launches "The Other September Issue" on Substack, featuring real-life teachers as models instead of runway stars. It's a direct parody of Vogue's legendary September fashion preview.

Nara Smith finds parenting perfection

Influencer Nara Smith spirals searching for the perfect baby formula online, then breaks down in relief when a neighbor reminds her perfection doesn't exist. Bobbie is the answer, delivered with spectacular cussing.

Keke Palmer leads retro aerobics class

The singer and actress guides viewers through a high-energy 1980s-style workout to promote Verizon's iPhone 18 and Simplicity Plan. The punchline: "Give it to your mama!" when upgrading.

“Give it to your mama!”

Chevrolet revives heartbeat anthem

Chevrolet's September 1st debut of "Heartbeat of America" highlights its SUV lineup with cargo space, tech, and value. The spot outperformed the auto category average by 205% and aired heavily on AMC and BBC America.

The essence

The week's standout ads succeed by either spoofing viral moments with a twist or tapping into genuine human emotions, with Samsung and Chevrolet leading the pack.

Read the original on Adweek

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