Funny and happy, humor in marketing always strikes gold. Regardless of economic climate, they invariably perform well, according to a Nielsen study. To add to this, new research by Oracle revealed that people want brands to make them smile and laugh.
The Nielsen report, titled “Global Ad View,” analyzed over 4,000 ads from before, during, and after the Great Recession. The study found that funny commercials always outperform serious ones.
On average, before the recession, funny ads packed 47% more punch than their serious counterparts and 33% more afterward.
The research report, conducted by Oracle found that 91% of buyers prefer brands to be funny and 72% would choose a brand that uses humor over the competition. But there is a catch here: 95% of business leaders are afraid to joke around, the study states.
What else did the Nielsen study further find? It said that while humor in digital marketing undeniably draws attention, other variables also resonated with viewers. Factors like family-focused, health-conscious, and value-driven messages all vied for second place at 38% each. Interestingly, celebrity endorsements (12%) and athlete sponsorships (8%) didn’t perform as well as we believe they do.
The Nielsen Global Survey of Trust in Advertising polled over 29,000 digital users across 58 countries.
The Oracle study sums it up by emphasising that people are searching for happiness in new ways and are willing to pay a premium if variables match – only if the leadership walks the path.
This research includes insights from more than 12,000 consumers and business leaders across 14 countries.
At the same time, companies have to be careful in how they use humor in communication. It’s a double-edged sword. The assertion that humor always performs can be a bit of an oversimplification. There are many instances when campaigns have brought negativity and unwanted criticism to the brands.
