The Effectiveness of Humor in Persuasion

So this guy walks into a bar and sees a priest, a pastor and rabbi… Okay, well maybe not a bar; maybe it was a church. But then why would a rabbi be in a church? All right, scratch that. So a guy walks into a priest, a pastor, and a rabbi… Humor; everyone likes a good joke or a good laugh now and then. It lifts the spirit, lightens the mood, and warms the heart. Humor has been known to deflect arguments, disarm antagonists, and silence critics. The benefits of humor—including physical and emotional health—touch every aspect of our lives. The question is; can humor be used as a technique to effect change, persuade an audience, or impact success? This article will examine the effectiveness of humor, as well as the associated risks, as applied to several persuasion theories.

A fairly recent product, making its debut in 2008, has become a household name; the Snuggie. Even before many people knew what it was, essentially a blanket with sleeves, “Snuggie” was imprinted on their minds through the Mere Exposure Effect;

Stated simply, some messages “grow on us.” Thus, a consumer who encountered a product logo on several different occasions would tend to evaluate that logo more favorably than he or she would other, unfamiliar logos. It wouldn't matter whether the consumer knew what the familiar logo represented (Seiter & Gass, 2004, p. 47).

One of the techniques added to commercials by AllStar Products, Snuggie’s designer, was humor. There was a purpose for it; they “designed the Snuggie's quirky name and comedic commercials to get consumers laughing and—more importantly—talking about their product” (Business Insider, n.d.). Snuggie’s use of humor was an effective strategy.

Using humor in advertising carries the risk of alienating or offending certain groups of people. The milk industry recently ran a series of ads promoting milk as a way to alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome; “The organization decided to use humor in the ads by showing how men are affected by their partner's PMS symptoms” (BestThinking, n.d.). The article points out that the California Milk Board has received some criticism because some people view the ads as being sexist.

In addition, advertisers, public speakers, authors, et al, may learn, to their chagrin, that their intended audience does not find the ad, joke, or story funny or appropriate. They might not “get it” for a variety of reasons, one of which could be an age barrier. For example, references made to comedic icons Bob Hope and Milton Berle, or to nostalgic practices of the distant past may go over the heads of younger viewers. Humor can backfire if the individual or entity using it does not know the dynamics of their audience.

One thing to keep in mind is that people evaluate messages based on the positions they hold. This phenomenon is known as the Social Judgment theory, which argues that;

[A] person has a most preferred position, called an anchor point. This anchor point functions as a reference point or “psychological benchmark” against which other positions and viewpoints are evaluated Seiter & Gass, 2004, p. 55).

This is to say, people who have very strong feelings about an issue are unlikely to be persuaded to the contrary despite the use of humor in an opposing argument. It will depend on how deeply committed a person is to an ideal or value.

In the persuasion theory known as the Elaboration Likelihood Model, humor notwithstanding, individuals will be influenced by the content of a message to the extent they are involved with the matter. Jim Lyttle explains;

“If the issue is salient to them, then they will focus systematically on the message itself and analyze it according to traditional criteria such as logos, pathos, and ethos. If they find the argument compelling, they will become convinced (Lyttle, 2001).

If an issue is not important or urgent to an audience, heuristic tactics, such as humor, gimmicks, and anecdotal devices can be influential (Cline & Kellaris, 1999). People’s behavior is influenced by their attitudes toward something. Thus, according to the Theory of Reasoned Action, “[fa]vorable attitudes lead to approach behavior, and unfavorable attitudes lead to avoidance behavior” (Seiter & Gass, 2004, p. 53). Humor can be an effective tool because it inclines an individual to develop a more favorable attitude toward the subject at hand.

While using humor does carry some associated risks, it can be quite effective when used properly. Appropriate humor can increase the likeability of the person speaking. Self-deprecating humor tends to boost the credibility of a person, product, or advertisement. It can put an audience at ease, hold their attention, decrease defensiveness, and reduce skepticism. Using humor as a persuasion tactic can often times create a distraction that allows the message to come through loud and clear.

Despite the benefits derived from the proper use of humor in persuasion, studies are inconclusive about its effectiveness in eliciting the desired response from the target audience. Too many variables exist. A funny joke, advertisement, or speech may get a smile or a laugh, but it does not guarantee a sale, a change of opinion, or a change heart. Humor, like any other persuasion tactic, is seasoning that can only accentuate the argument that undergirds it. Sound reasoning is the most effective method of persuasion; humor just adds to the effect.

References

BestThinking. (n.d.). Advertising Humor and the New Milk Campaign. Retrieved from http://www.bestthinking.com/trendingtopics/business_and_finance/sales_and_marketing/advertising/advertising-humor-and-the-new-milk-campaign.

Business Insider. (n.d.). How 5 Strange Products Became Household Names. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/5-unknown-products-that-became-household-names-2011-6#snuggie-2

Cline, Thomas W, & Kellaris, James J. (1999). The joint impact of humor and argument strength in a print advertising context: A case for weaker arguments. Psychology & Marketing, 16(1), 69. Retrieved April 23, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 37875581).

Lyttle, Jim. (2001). The effectiveness of humor in persuasion: The case of business ethics training. The Journal of General Psychology, 128(2), 206-16. Retrieved April 23, 2012, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 77223102).

Seiter, John E., and Gass, Robert H. (2004), Perspectives on Persuasion, Social Influence, and Compliance Gaining, Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education, Inc.