Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Humor in Advertising


Many of the most memorable ad campaigns around tend to be funny. Advertisers use this strategy to attract customers to their product. Audiences like to be entertained, but not pitched. People will pay more attention to a humorous commercial than a factual or serious one, opening themselves up to be influenced. The key to funny advertising is assuring the humor is appropriate to both product and customer. The balance between funny and obnoxious can often be delicate; and a marketer must be certain the positive effects outweigh the negative before an advertisement can be introduced.

The best products to sell using humor tend to be those that consumers have to think the least about. Products that are relatively inexpensive, and often consumable, can be represented without providing a lot of facts, and that's where there's room for humor. Candy, food, alcohol, tobacco and toys/entertainment related products have proven to benefit the most from humor in their campaigns. One of the most important things to keep in mind is relevance to the product. An example of an extremely successful humorous campaign is the series of "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" commercials. The star, a tiny talking Chihuahua who is passionate about his Taco Bell got people repeating the company's name across the country. The repetition of the company name and the actual content of the commercial reinforce the message in a relevant manner. Taco Bell saw a substantial rise in sales and their own mascot became a pop icon.

Another point to consider when using humor in advertising is that different things are funny to different people. A commercial that may leave one person gripping their sides from laughter may leave a bad taste in another's mouth. The target market must always be considered. What's funny in a client presentation may not be funny on an airplane, at a country club or in a hospital. An example of a recent humorous product introduction is Mike's Hard Lemonade. These commercials feature over exaggerated and comical violence with the underlining message that no one's day is hard enough to pass up a Mike's. It failed, ranking as one of the year's most hated campaigns by both men and woman according to 2002's Ad Track, a consumer survey. The series of commercials are aimed at 21-29 year old males and the repetition of comical violence (such as a construction worker being impaled on the job and a lumberjack cutting off his own foot) gets less and less funny every time it's viewed. Eventually the joke just wore out and the commercial became annoying and offensive.

Humor in advertising tends to improve brand recognition, but does not improve product recall, message credibility, or buying intentions. In other words, consumers may be familiar with and have good feelings towards the product, but their purchasing decisions will probably not be affected. One of the major keys to a successful humorous campaign is variety, once a commercial starts to wear out there's no saving it without some variation on the concept. Humorous campaigns are often expensive because they have to be constantly changed. Advertisers must remember that while making the customer laugh, they have to keep things interesting, because old jokes die along with their products.

Mark Levit is managing partner of Partners & Levit Advertising and a professor of marketing at New York University. Partners & Levit's clients include Procter & Gamble, UnitedHealth Group, and GE Commercial Finance. For more information call 212-696-1200 or visit http://www.partnerslevit.com.


MORE RESOURCES:

Advertising- Marketing - Google News

Belo 4Q Profit Falls 24% On Lower Ad Revenue - Wall Street Journal


Belo 4Q Profit Falls 24% On Lower Ad Revenue
Wall Street Journal
Belo, which owns and operates 20 television stations, has seen mixed bottom-line results over the past year, though its so-called other revenue, which includes barter and trade advertising, network compensation, Internet advertising and retransmission ...
Television Company Belo Corp. (BLC) Reports Earnings for Fourth Quarter and ...MarketWatch (press release)
Belo Reports 4Q Core Revenue Up 3%TV News Check
Belo Fourth Quarter Revenue Down 13%Broadcasting & Cable

all 10 news articles »

Best Mobile Web Sites and Best Mobile Apps to be Named by Web Marketing ... - MarketWatch (press release)


Best Mobile Web Sites and Best Mobile Apps to be Named by Web Marketing ...
MarketWatch (press release)
The goal of the MobileWebAwards is to both recognize the people and organizations responsible for developing some of the most effective mobile Web sites and mobile apps on the Internet." The MobileWebAwards will be judged on seven criteria seen as ...

and more »

Knoa Software Expands Executive Team with Addition of Michael Zuckerman as ... - MarketWatch (press release)


Knoa Software Expands Executive Team with Addition of Michael Zuckerman as ...
MarketWatch (press release)
Zuckerman brings more than 20 years of senior level marketing, sales and operations management experience in software, Internet and related technologies. Reporting to Knoa Software Chief Executive Officer Thad Eidman, Zuckerman will drive the company's ...

and more »

MITX Announces New Chairman, Joe Grimaldi, CEO & Chairman of Mullen - MarketWatch (press release)


MITX Announces New Chairman, Joe Grimaldi, CEO & Chairman of Mullen
MarketWatch (press release)
BOSTON, Feb 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX), New England's leading digital marketing, media and Internet business nonprofit association, announced today that Joe Grimaldi, CEO-Chairman of Mullen, ...

and more »

Paul Slack Named President of Splash Media U - DigitalJournal.com (press release)


Paul Slack Named President of Splash Media U
DigitalJournal.com (press release)
"This gives Paul a chance to combine the passion he has for teaching and coaching with his deep background in the Internet marketing world. I envy our Splash Media U students - they'll be getting the best instruction available in the marketplace with ...

and more »

Delaware company focused on Internet-based rebates acquires company, goes ... - The Republic


Delaware company focused on Internet-based rebates acquires company, goes ...
The Republic
The Ohana Companies of Brandywine Hundred, focused on Internet-based rebates and marketing, has acquired Rebate Delivery LLC of Atlanta, an electronic rebate provider serving software companies worldwide. Finances of the deal were not disclosed.

and more »

A Guide to the Digital Advertising Industry That's Watching Your Every Click - The Atlantic


The Atlantic

A Guide to the Digital Advertising Industry That's Watching Your Every Click
The Atlantic
You may find you're getting better or worse discounts on products than your friends. You may notice that some ads seem to follow you around the internet. Every once in a while a website may ask you if you like a particular ad you just received.

AutoTrader.com Makes It Easier for Dealers to Use Co-op Funds for New Car ... - PR Newswire (press release)


AutoTrader.com Makes It Easier for Dealers to Use Co-op Funds for New Car ...
PR Newswire (press release)
"It's critical that dealers have a robust Internet marketing strategy, and being able to utilize co-op funds for their online spend will help them achieve that goal. With the changes in packaging, new display advertising options and dedicated ...

and more »

Google, Microsoft Survival Conflict With Internet Data Privacy - eWeek


Globe and Mail

Google, Microsoft Survival Conflict With Internet Data Privacy
eWeek
The advertising-based business model relies on Internet users to surrender increasing amounts of information, Soghoian said. If the interface "sucks," users won't use the privacy settings effectively and will make mistakes, resulting in data being ...
Google strikes controversy over policy consolidationUT The Daily Texan
Facebook's Brave New WorldInstitute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
Popular websites to change privacy policyLSU The Reveille
Denver Post -NewsFactor Network -Sacramento Bee
all 630 news articles »

Marjorie Clark Unlocks the Secrets of Internet Marketing - Patch.com


Marjorie Clark Unlocks the Secrets of Internet Marketing
Patch.com
Today, Marjorie has taken over the entire management and operation of the web site development and Internet marketing company for businesses, nonprofit organizations and political campaigns. She says no matter what you sell, you need to have an ...

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

YourFree.biz Domain Is For Sale - $5,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.YourFree.biz 2009

home | site map | links

 

eXTReMe Tracker