A comparison of humor styles in US and Mexican television commercials

Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of humor styles used in US and Mexican television advertising. Design/methodology/approach A total of 97 television commercials broadcasted by major US and Mexican national television networks were classified under the four humor styles described by Martin et al. Findings Humor styles used in television advertising significantly differ between the two countries. US commercials use more affiliative, aggressive, and self‐defeating humor than do Mexican advertisements, while self‐enhancing humor is the predominant humor style of Mexican commercials and is used more frequently in Mexico when compared to the USA. Practical implications The findings reveal the frequency and types of humorous television commercials used in the USA and Mexico. Originality/value The study suggests that cultural differences should be taken into consideration when humorous advertising is used across borders.