The Role of Humor in Modern Selling Content
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:27 am
Humor can be used to increase the appeal of advertising and make it more recognizable. Millward Brown conducted research, the results of which showed that advertising activities with elements of humor have higher engagement rates. It follows that if you want to sell something to people, you need to sell them an emotion.
To use humor in advertising effectively, you should carefully consider what image or aura of the company you want to create.
Let's look at an example of sales content at MTS, where in 2020 management discussed how and what they could do to interest a more advanced segment of the target audience. In the search for a solution, together with the BBDO agency and semiotics experts, a study was conducted showing that there are several types of humor that can be used in modern sales content.
Emotional or life-like. This is vnpay database easy-to-understand and straightforward humor, with the help of which everyday situations are played out.
Cognitive or irrational. Humor that is delivered through subtexts and allusions and requires thoughtfulness.
Unifying or light. Good-natured and positive humor for all age groups.
Aggressive or sharp. Cynical, divisive humor.
There are other types of humor, namely brutal, cultural, accessible, absurdly sharp. Today, all of them are the basis for various types of selling content.
Humor in selling content
It is important to remember that depending on the generation, the attitude towards humor changes. Old codes disappear, and new ones with new ethics appear in their place.
Below is the gradation of generations:
Generation Z, spanning the ages of 12 to 24. Represents absurdism, post-irony and stupid humor. There is no censorship or boundaries here, so you can laugh at everything.
Generation Y is 25 to 36 years old, characterized by a mental state, sharp mind and satire. Representatives of this segment appreciate smart and caustic humor, love to joke about the situation and about themselves. It is this generation that forms the modern socio-cultural context.
Generation X from 36 to 45 years old – stereotypes, nostalgia, deep jokes. People of this age value cultural and everyday humor and believe that every joke has its own meaning.
Having reviewed the results of the study, MTS decided to shift the focus from life situations to more sincere and sharp humor.
Here are some tips for marketers who like to use humor in advertising:
First, you should decide on your goals and only then select codes suitable for advertising.
It is necessary to take into account the specifics of niche channels. If there is a specific audience, advertising should be targeted specifically at it, without softening communications. In the case of broad advertising coverage, universal codes should be used that do not cause rejection in any age category.
If the audience is ready for sharp humor, then there is no need to soften the joke.
It is necessary to combine universal codes with new ones. Modern humor should not only make you smile, but also coincide with the socio-cultural context.
It is better not to use dying codes. The new generation simply will not understand them.
People always feel when something is not true and fake, so it is very important that advertising is sincere and natural.
Download a useful document on t
To use humor in advertising effectively, you should carefully consider what image or aura of the company you want to create.
Let's look at an example of sales content at MTS, where in 2020 management discussed how and what they could do to interest a more advanced segment of the target audience. In the search for a solution, together with the BBDO agency and semiotics experts, a study was conducted showing that there are several types of humor that can be used in modern sales content.
Emotional or life-like. This is vnpay database easy-to-understand and straightforward humor, with the help of which everyday situations are played out.
Cognitive or irrational. Humor that is delivered through subtexts and allusions and requires thoughtfulness.
Unifying or light. Good-natured and positive humor for all age groups.
Aggressive or sharp. Cynical, divisive humor.
There are other types of humor, namely brutal, cultural, accessible, absurdly sharp. Today, all of them are the basis for various types of selling content.
Humor in selling content
It is important to remember that depending on the generation, the attitude towards humor changes. Old codes disappear, and new ones with new ethics appear in their place.
Below is the gradation of generations:
Generation Z, spanning the ages of 12 to 24. Represents absurdism, post-irony and stupid humor. There is no censorship or boundaries here, so you can laugh at everything.
Generation Y is 25 to 36 years old, characterized by a mental state, sharp mind and satire. Representatives of this segment appreciate smart and caustic humor, love to joke about the situation and about themselves. It is this generation that forms the modern socio-cultural context.
Generation X from 36 to 45 years old – stereotypes, nostalgia, deep jokes. People of this age value cultural and everyday humor and believe that every joke has its own meaning.
Having reviewed the results of the study, MTS decided to shift the focus from life situations to more sincere and sharp humor.
Here are some tips for marketers who like to use humor in advertising:
First, you should decide on your goals and only then select codes suitable for advertising.
It is necessary to take into account the specifics of niche channels. If there is a specific audience, advertising should be targeted specifically at it, without softening communications. In the case of broad advertising coverage, universal codes should be used that do not cause rejection in any age category.
If the audience is ready for sharp humor, then there is no need to soften the joke.
It is necessary to combine universal codes with new ones. Modern humor should not only make you smile, but also coincide with the socio-cultural context.
It is better not to use dying codes. The new generation simply will not understand them.
People always feel when something is not true and fake, so it is very important that advertising is sincere and natural.
Download a useful document on t