When the world stops making sense, absurdity starts to feel right.

In the third instalment of his bimonthly Branded Sentiments column on Brandingmag, Félix Mathieu, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Lonsdale, explores what he calls “absurdgasm” — the strange relief we experience when brands stop pretending everything is coherent.

From Sonic × Grillo’s Pickles to Krispy Kreme × Crocs and Gentle Monster’s deliberately irrational retail spaces, Félix examines how absurdity has become a genuine tool for emotional connection — and raises a deeper question for the design and branding industry: what if making room for creative chaos wasn’t irresponsible, but necessary?