Can’t Remember But Like it: Towards Understanding of Mechanisms of the Humor Effect in Advertising

• In Event: HIGH-DENSITY: At the Intersection of Cognition, Emotion, and Message

Abstract

The present study attempted 1) to identify prominent dimensions of humor in advertising and 2) and how advertisements high in these dimensions influence memory for the brand and its likability. 264 participants were provided with 9 humorous and 9 non-humorous still-image ads and asked to answer questions measuring humor dimensions, followed by a recognition test for the brand names and the measure of likability towards the products. The correlation analyses revealed that the dimensions high in humorous ads were cleverness, pleasantness, and positivity. Also, the results of repeated measures ANOVA showed that participants who watched humorous ads recognized the brand logos less, but liked the product more than those who watched non-humorous ads. These results indicate that humorous ads, compared to non-humorous ads, are seen as cleverer and trigger more positive emotions, and these, in turn, contribute to the poor memory of brand names and improved liking for products.

Authors

• Ildo Kim, Graceland University

• Narine S. Yegiyan, U of California, Davis