Reference
George W. Brooker / Journal of Advertising / Vol. 10, No. 4 / 1981
Highlights
Persuasive Effects of Humor and Fear
• Fear doesn’t always work.
If you’re marketing to a highly-educated audience, fear can hurt more than help.
• Humor sets a positive tone.
Start your ad series with a laugh—it primes them for the next message.
• Test fear appeals thoroughly.
Not everyone will respond kindly to fear tactics, so watch out for pushback.
Summary
The study dives deep into how mild humor and mild fear appeals influence persuasive advertising. The research focuses on two products—a toothbrush and an influenza vaccine—and analyzes consumer responses across humor, fear, and straightforward appeals.
Results suggest mild humor and straightforward messages generally hold more persuasive power than mild fear appeals. In particular, fear backfired in some contexts by negatively impacting consumer attitudes. A humor-laden ad often gave consumers a more favorable impression of a product or company. Surprisingly, neither humor nor fear proved largely superior to straightforward ads, except when fear had negative effects.
On a deeper level, the study notes that education may play a role in reception—higher-educated respondents were less receptive to fear-based ads. Additionally, placement sequence matters: humorous ads that played first seemed to build a positive climate for subsequent messaging, while fear-based ads dulled the impact of following messages.
For advertisers, the takeaway is to tread lightly with fear tactics. Humor, while not a guaranteed superpower, produces better overall outcomes when compared directly to fear.
Implications
How to Choose Humor or Fear in Advertising
If you’re deciding between humor and fear in your ad campaigns, lean towards humor—especially if your target audience is well-educated. Fear might grab attention but could sour attitudes, leaving a critical impression.
Use Humor Before a Sequential Campaign
Planning multiple ads? Start with humor. Research shows it sets up a positive emotional tone, boosting the effectiveness of ads that follow. Just don’t overuse it, or your message might get drowned in laughs.
Fear Isn’t Always a No-Go—But Test It
If going for fear-based appeals, make them mild and ensure they’re contextually relevant. Conduct robust pre-campaign testing to avoid alienating your audience with unintended negativity.
Adjust Based on Demographics
Consider how your specific audience reacts to emotional stimuli. For instance, educated audiences tend to process fear messages differently—maybe stick with clear facts and humor instead.
