The Potential & Psychology of Using Humor in Research

Humor & Marketing: Are You Ha-Ha-Having a Laugh?

Claude Hopkins thought so. In 1923, he suggested that humor in ads would hurt sales. But fast-forward 101 years and using humor as a marketing tactic isn’t a laughing matter. Let me explain.

Les Binet and Peter Field analyzed 243 adverts from 2012 to 2020 via the IPA Databank. Their analysis showed that the 118 ads using humor had, on average, 1.7 large business effects (higher profits or market share). The 125 campaigns that didn’t use humor had less (1.4).

It's no wonder the Cannes Festival of Creativity added a humor category. But more importantly, System 1's research shows that more humorous Cannes winners are slightly more effective with the key audience. Consumers. This helps explain why 32% of adverts in Kantar's database contain humor.

Why? As behavioral scientist Richard Shotton says, humor helps discuss awkward topics. And it gets people to engage with a topic they usually wouldn’t.

Given that people don't talk much about brands or products that must mean some researchers are using humour in their research? After all, research depends on discussing such things with consumers.

Research & Humor: No Laughing Matter

After searching all the major research sites, I found one (excellent) article on using humor in research. For kids. It includes this quote from a 9-year-old: “If it makes you laugh you like it, if you like it, you buy it.”

But humor isn’t child’s play. Humor often ends in laughter. Studies have proven that laughter boosts self-esteem. It helps build balanced relationships, likability, and signals intelligence.

Surely these are good tools for us to use when we’re doing an ethnography on the contents of people’s kitchens? Or trying to get people to engage with a 15-minute survey on product labels? Or even trying to win over a room of stakeholders?

I’m not suggesting every moderator turns into a comedy club regular. Or that every survey should read like a script from the Edinburgh Fringe. But there are some areas of research where an appropriate injection of humor can be valuable.

Releasing Tension in Touchy Research Topics

The UK adult nappy market is worth $723mn. The UK erectile dysfunction market $260bn. The funeral market £2bn. And it’s fair to assume that these categories do research.

But how do you discuss and ask questions about such sensitive topics in a way that answers a brief? And does so in a sensitive way?

Relief Theory says we can use humor to release tension. It does this by acknowledging uncomfortable truths. This is because laughing releases negative tensions inside us. This means humour can be a useful way to start an interview or survey about an uncomfortable topic.

The thought of using humor for this purpose may sound uncomfortable. But advertisers are doing so already. Like this video by “Dumb Ways to Die” that promotes safety on trains. Some brands are even entirely based on humor. Like toilet roll brand Who Gives a Crap.

Making Light of Marketing Mistakes

Brands often use research to understand a product or service failure’s impact. This is a delicate topic. And if they’re researched incorrectly, we risk getting only critical (not constructive or useable) feedback.

Tom Veatch’s Benign Violation Theory (BVT) suggests humor can help us here. BVT says we can create humor by finding amusement in harmless, minor misfortunes. And in doing so, it quells frustrations and creates more practical conversations.

Rishi Sunak (ex-UK Prime Minister) recently used this by laughing at his troubled tenure as Prime Minister. This is arguably a major misfortune. So surely, we can use this tool to discuss marketing mishaps?

Use Comedy to Overcome Insight Communication Challenges

This year's GRIT Report says that 82% of buyers want to engage stakeholders. 63% want to use storytelling. Both are top priorities. Storytelling techniques are important because they help make insight memorable. Because if you can’t remember an insight you can’t act on it.

Humor can help make insight memorable. A 2013 study found we recall humorous material better than non-humorous. Especially if the insights are positive. This is because humor helps create a positive mood. And we’re more likely to remember positive information when we’re in a positive mood.

Are We Worried That the Joke Will Be On Us?

Humor’s benefits to marketing are getting more attention. And, good evidence supports the benefits of using humor in research. So why aren’t we using humor in research? Or even discussing it? 

The biggest reason I suspect is that it isn’t easy to use humor well. Humor is the hardest emotion to achieve. And it’s subjective. You can use humor to good effect when communicating with participants or stakeholders. But it likely won't work on your whole audience. And that makes it risky.

Risky but not impossible. A recent article on Research Live said that stand-up comedy helped a Sky Research Manager's career. And Mars Pet Care gave a presentation on a similar topic at IIEX EU in 2023. And to me that suggests humour has a potential place in researchers' toolkits.