When we look at these brands alongside Nutter Butter, we start to see a spectrum emerge. Gushers and Totino's are weird, but in a way that feels familiar and relatable. Duolingo pushes it further, creating a character and narrative that borders on the absurd. MUG Root Beer takes another step into the surreal, with content that's both amusing and unsettling. And then there's Nutter Butter, gleefully diving off the deep end into a pool of surrealist nightmare fuel.

This spectrum gives us a framework for understanding how brands can push the envelope in different ways, each finding their own balance between relatability and shock value. It also highlights just how far Nutter Butter has gone – making Duolingo's once-outrageous owl antics seem downright tame in comparison.

The Generational Divide: Echoes of Subcultures Past

It's tempting to write this off as "digital native humor" that older generations just don't get. But that's an oversimplification. The reality is that the internet has created a new language of memes, inside jokes, and absurdist humor that transcends traditional generational boundaries.

Yes, Gen Z and the emerging Gen Alpha might be leading the charge, but they're not alone in their appreciation for the weird and wonderful. Millennials who grew up with early internet culture are in on the joke, Gen X – the original latchkey kids who perfected irony and embraced alternative culture – are often the unsung heroes of internet weirdness, and even some Boomers are embracing the chaos.

The key here isn't age—it's adaptability. Those who can roll with the punches, who can appreciate the artistry in the absurd, are the ones who will thrive in this new landscape.

But let's take a step back and recognize that this isn't entirely new. Every generation has had its subcultures that baffled and sometimes frightened their elders. From the Mods and Rockers of the 60s to the Punks of the 70s, from Hip Hop culture in the 80s to Grunge in the 90s, we've seen this play out time and time again.

Each of these movements was, in its own way, a form of surrealist expression that challenged the status quo. They used fashion, music, and attitude to create a world that felt alien and sometimes threatening to the mainstream. Sound familiar?

What we're seeing with brands like Nutter Butter isn't so much the corporate world creating subcultures, but rather their attempt to authentically engage with existing ones. Gen Alpha has already carved out their own bizarre corners of the internet, complete with distinctive aesthetics and a sense of being part of something that others just don't understand. What's fascinating is how companies are now trying to speak this language, to inhabit these spaces that were once solely the domain of young, digitally-native creators. It's less about invention and more about adaptation – brands attempting to prove they're fluent in the evolving dialect of internet absurdism.

As strategists and marketers, we have a choice. We can be the grumpy old guard, shaking our fists at this new form of expression like the parents who were once afraid of rock and roll. Or we can embrace it, try to understand it, and use it to connect with audiences in new and exciting ways.

Embracing the Absurd

So, where does this leave us in the advertising world? How do we navigate a landscape where the most effective advertising might be the kind that makes us deeply uncomfortable?

As I wrestle with the implications of Nutter Butter's strategy, I'm reminded of how we approach art interpretation. In galleries, we're encouraged to spend time with pieces, to sit with our discomfort, and to look for glimmers of our own experiences in the work. Perhaps we need to apply this same approach to avant-garde advertising.

Consider this: What if we viewed Nutter Butter's TikTok as a piece of performance art? What is it saying about our relationship with brands, with social media, with reality itself? Is it a commentary on the absurdity of our hyper-connected world, where even a peanut butter cookie can become an eldritch horror? Or – and hear me out on this – what if it isn't that deep at all, and it's just a weird-ass cookie having a fever dream on the internet?

As we wade through this sea of bizarro content, here are a few life rafts to keep us afloat:

• Embrace Discomfort: Just as art often pushes us out of our comfort zones, effective advertising in the digital age might need to do the same. If a campaign makes you squirm, that might be a good sign.
• Look Deeper: Don't dismiss the bizarre out of hand. Ask yourself: What's the underlying message? What emotions is this stirring up? Sometimes, the most powerful connections are forged through shared discomfort or confusion.
• Consider the Context: Nutter Butter's TikTok works because it's on TikTok. This strategy might fall flat on LinkedIn or in a TV commercial. Understanding the platform and its culture is crucial.
• Trust the Audience: Give your audience credit. They're often more savvy and adaptable than we give them credit for. Don't be afraid to challenge them.
• Stay Curious: The moment we think we've got it all figured out is the moment we become obsolete. Keep questioning, keep exploring, keep being willing to say, "I don't get it... yet."

For creatives, it's a tightrope walk between artistry and commerce, between shocking and engaging. You're tasked with bringing these wild ideas to life, pushing boundaries while still maintaining some semblance of brand identity. It's about finding that sweet spot where the bizarre becomes brilliant.

For marketers, it's about redefining what success looks like in this new landscape. Traditional metrics might not capture the full impact of these campaigns. You're challenged to understand and articulate the value of meme-ability, of being part of the conversation, even if that conversation is utterly surreal. It's about convincing stakeholders that sometimes, confusion can be a powerful tool for brand awareness.

As a strategist myself, I find this shift both exhilarating and terrifying. Our job is to make sense of the senseless, to find the method in the madness. We need to be cultural anthropologists, decoding the latest internet trends and translating them into actionable insights. It's no longer enough to know our target audience; we need to understand the intricate ecosystem of inside jokes, references, and absurdist humor that defines online culture today.

The Future is Weird (And That's Okay)

As we move forward in this brave new world of digital marketing, one thing is clear: the future is going to be weird. And that's okay. In fact, it might be exactly what we need.

In a world saturated with content, where attention is the most precious commodity, sometimes the only way to cut through the noise is to be the weirdest voice in the room. Nutter Butter gets this. They're not just selling cookies; they're selling an experience, a conversation piece, a moment of shared "What the f*ck did I just watch?"

So the next time you come across a piece of advertising that makes you want to hide under your desk, take a deep breath. Sit with that discomfort. Ask yourself why it's making you feel that way. And then, just maybe, you'll start to see the method in the madness.

After all, in the words of Salvador Dalí, "Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing." So here's to the imitators, the innovators, and yes, even the cookie brands that haunt our dreams. They're the ones pushing us forward, one surreal TikTok at a time.

—Sydney Haessly, Senior Strategist at space150