Humor in Advertising: A Comprehensive Analysis

Although the use of humor in advertising has its origins in the early days of the business, its widespread use as an advertising strategy is a more recent phenomenon. Humor in Advertising draws on extensive serious research on the use of humor from the fields of Advertising and Marketing, as well Psychology, Mass Media, and Communications Studies. The authors are careful to point out not only the benefits, but also the potential pitfalls in advertising's attempts at humor, as advertisers continue to use humorous message to break through the clutter of proliferating ads, and the line between advertising and entertainment is further blurred.