VIOLENCE DRESSED IN HUMOR: COMEDIC VIOLENCE IN ADVERTISING
VIOLENCE DRESSED IN HUMOR: COMEDIC VIOLENCE IN ADVERTISING
Author(s): Camelia GradinaruSubject(s): Media studies, Studies in violence and power, Social Informatics, Marketing / Advertising, Social Norms / Social Control, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: University of Lincoln and World Experience Campus Foundation
Keywords: Comedic violence; humor; advertising; effectiveness; audience; brand awareness;
Summary/Abstract: This paper investigates the concepts of humor and violence and their complex relationships contextualized in the advertising domain. Thus, the main theories of humor and the most important elements from media violence paradigms are critically pointed out. The effects of comedic violence in advertising may be positive (great involvement with the ad message, retention of brand information, higher pass-along probability), and also negative (offending the audience, desensitization, damaging the reputation and the brand equity). A lot of factors change the perception of comedic violent ads (such as gender or social norm beliefs), so that a multidimensional analysis of consumer perceptions is needed if we want to draw a more accurate picture of this phenomenon. The analysis of the specific ad that I developed in the second part of this paper showed clearly the interplay between perceived humor and perceived violence and also the relevance of the cultural background in its interpretation.
Journal: Journal of Media Critiques
- Issue Year: 1/2015
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 55-73
- Page Count: 19
- Language: English