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    A Comparison of the Persuasive Effects of Mild Humor and Mild Fear Appeals

    Reference

    George W. Brooker / Journal of Advertising / Vol 10, Issue 4 / November 1981

    Highlights

    Mild humor and fear appeals

    • Mild humor maintains brand favorability.
    A pun or witty phrase keeps things light yet memorable.

    • Heavy fear = consumer rejection.
    Scared customers don’t buy—especially if the product isn’t directly tied to the solution.

    • Sequence matters.
    Follow humor with information, not the other way around. Fear subtracts from ad sequence effectiveness.

    Summary

    Does humor or fear work best in advertising? This article dives into a comprehensive experiment comparing mild humor and mild fear as persuasion tactics. Using a toothbrush and influenza vaccine as test products, researchers measured responses across various emotional and informational ads. Surprisingly, humor had a neutral impact compared to straightforward ads, while fear appeals often backfired, turning audiences away from the product message. The study suggests advertisers should approach fear-driven messaging with caution, as it could hurt their brand image, whereas humor, when mild and relevant, effectively creates a neutral-to-positive perception.

    Implications

    Why humor is safer

    Humor adds a layer of relatability to ads, making them more enjoyable without triggering negative emotions. Incorporating creative, mild humor into your marketing can boost consumer goodwill.

    Avoid aggressive fear tactics

    Fear appeals might seem powerful, but this study shows they can repel rather than attract. Use low-intensity emotional triggers and offer clear problem-solving pathways to reassure your audience.

    Context and timing are critical

    Place any mildly humorous ad first in a sequence to set the mood. Conversely, avoid running fear-inducing messages when people are already stressed or distracted.

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