Controversial humor in advertising

As Nash observes, “[v]irtually any well known forms of words—from the language of politics, of advertising, or journalism, of law and social administration—will serve the requirements of wit” ¹ (my emphasis). As a matter of fact, witticisms, puns, jokes, satire, parody, etc. are examples of the different forms and guises in which humor can come. Be it scripted (e.g., jokes) or naturally occurring, humor can be used to enhance or challenge interpersonal and social relations. ² It is therefore not surprising that it has been often used in advertising to seek the involvement of the audience while promoting products, services and, consequently, the brand or corporate company that provides them. As Berger explains, humor can create what he calls the “halo effect,” meaning “a feeling of well-being that becomes attached to the products being advertised.” ³ Nonetheless, humor in advertisement has often been considered risky, especially due to its potential offensiveness, which can be inadvertent or intentional. ⁴ Moreover, the (non) appreciation of a humorous advert may very well depend on various factors (e.g., personal situation, beliefs, etc.) that often escape the marketers’ control. It is therefore interesting to explore the possible reasons that can lead to a negative response by the receivers of controversial adverts that consciously or unconsciously entail humor. In particular, this paper concentrates on adverts that have been considered offensive by their receivers at the local, national or global level, on the basis of their themes, language and culture-specific references. Considering that such adverts or campaigns set out to address and/or seek the involvement of their target clientele in today’s hyper-politically correct world, the latter’s (unexpected) reaction is worth exploring, as it can be of great interest to advertising companies and marketers alike. Before proceeding with an in-depth analysis of the issue at hand, I will offer a brief overview of humor and how it can be defined for the purposes of this paper.