Mother Nature, it's just not right...

Does humor help or hinder persuasion? Hmmmmmmm, This is a difficult question because there is so much that goes into persuasion. For example in the article we read for this week, they briefly touch on gender differences. and depending on the context these can may a big difference in the way humor is perceived. For example Tampax has a new line of commercials involving Mother Nature, a woman clad in a red suit, delivering monthly "gifts." The first time I saw I one of these I was horrified. There used to be an unwritten rule about using red in a feminine hygiene commercial. My husband on the other hand laughed out loud and then immediately apologized to me. He said: I guess that isn't really funny? So sure there was humor, but it didn't persuade me to buy the product.

When it comes to ads I think the needs of the audience make a huge difference in regards to the persuasion factor. I love the Etrade commercial with the stock trading baby. They may me laugh every time, but I don't trade stocks online. I have a money guy for that, because I know that I don't have the time to study the stock market. It has nothing to do with ads. That being said I do think that humor can help persuade by increasing likability. When Bill Clinton was running for office he appealed to the young audience by getting on MTV and being funny. He proved himself to be a "real guy." And that piqued a lot of interest that ultimately turned in to votes. So does humor help persuade? I think if it's used properly it can help, but I hope that people are smart enough to look at the whole picture first, not just the quick laugh.