Wit-based humor in advertising: brand coolness in luxury and non-luxury brands

In three experimental studies, the authors show that wit-based (cognitive) humor enhances consumer perceptions of brands as ‘cool’, leading to increased word-of-mouth and stronger purchase intentions. Findings across experiments testing consumer reactions to advertisements for eyewear, automobiles, and headphones reveal that only non-luxury brands enjoy positive effects from being perceived as cool through the use of wit-based humor ads. The effect is consistent throughout the advertisements for both fictitious Brand X and real brands such as Honda versus BMW. Brand coolness perception is identified as a key mechanism through which humor impacts consumer responses, but perceived brand luxury (i.e. luxury versus non-luxury) largely determines the effectiveness of wit-based humor. Theoretical implications for the study of humor in advertising and practical implications for marketers are discussed.