5.4 Humour
Humour, like sex, is a very common message appeal. It shares many of the same perceived benefits but is seen as a lower risk option: it can still get through the clutter, has high impact potential, recall and recognition potential if done well, and tends to lead to higher levels of engagement as the target audience tries to make meaning from and interpret the message. Like shock advertising, humour appeals can also lead to a lot of earned media exposure if the campaign attracts the attention of the target audience.
Eagle et al. (2020) identified six types of humour commonly used in marketing communications, shown in Table 3.
| Humour type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Pun | The use of a word or phrase that is subject to two or more interpretations |
| Understatement | Representing something as less than would normally be perceived to be the case |
| Joke | Speaking or acting without seriousness |
| Ludicrous | A portrayal to highlight the absurd or ridiculous |
| Satire | The use of sarcasm to expose vice or folly |
| Irony | Where actual message communicated is opposite to its literal content |
Eagle et al. (2020)