Once considered a tactical tool to counter negative images or to create memorability, today, humor has become more of a strategic part of the marketing message.
Funny ads get more attention and generally score well for memorability. However, for a humorous campaign to be effective at a more critical point along the purchase journey, it needs to support the brand message. This ViewPoint will discuss how your brand can best utilize humor in advertising. We will also look at campaigns that have been successful with this approach.
HOW HUMOR IN ADVERTISING WORKS
Humor can make ads more memorable. In North America, where comedy in advertising is used more often than in any other region, almost 70% of ads ranked top in awareness were humorous or light-hearted, according to industry research. More than half of the consumers surveyed say that they are most likely to remember and enjoy an advertisement if it’s funny, according to Agility PR research.
Advertising that makes people laugh, or smile, creates an emotional connection with consumers. The comic twist signals to the consumer that the brand “gets” them and forges a connection based on mutual understanding. It flatters the consumers’ intelligence and warms them to a product, according to Euromonitor research. Humor refocuses the emphasis from the product to the consumer.
Mondelez’s Oreo brand understood this. Following a glitch with the lights during the 2013 Super Bowl, the company tweeted You can still dunk in the dark, a playful nod to the passionate Oreo fan.
Funny ads distinguish the brand from the competition. This is especially important for Gen-Z and Millennials, who are more likely to describe advertising as boring. Clorox’s For life’s bleachable moments campaign features a potty-training toddler proudly running to show his mom the empty training toilet. This “uh-oh” moment ad breaks through the clutter of household cleaners.
Humorous ads engender less resistance, according to a study conducted by BPS research. These ads are processed in the brain as entertainment rather than rational content, which forces the viewer to evaluate the truth of the content. Entertainment is more forgiving.
GUIDELINES FOR HUMOROUS ADVERTISING
Because humorous brands are processed as entertainment, the brand equity must be clear and strong, according to research from the Journal of Advertising. Research shows that humor is more likely to positively affect purchase intent, as long as the humorous message coincides with the brand objective. Funny video ads that are less likely to be skipped also hold attention longer. Think with Google explains that this “better watch time” delivers better lifts in metrics throughout the consumer journey. Ads that support the branding message are positioned to drive purchase consideration. Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Budweiser frog that croaks the name “Bud”, “Weis” and “Er” projects the beer’s playful image…
…Humor should not be the only form of advertising your company employs. Customers also value product information, which is best conveyed via traditional advertising messages. Mixing humor into the campaign equation will break through clutter and connect with consumers along the purchase journey.
At IPG Mediabrands we do not grow tired of these campaigns awarded at Cannes last June