INDIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, CALCUTTA

MARKETING RESEARCH REPORT

On
Impact of humor-based advertisements on brand recall

Submitted by
Group 11
Abhilasha Acharya 0076/55
Anjali Sam 0085/55
Kamakshi Gupta 0098/55
Tanmay Agarwal 0140/55
Tipreila Mahung 0141/55
Vallari Srivastava 0144/55

under the guidance of Prof. Krishanu Rakshit

Marketing Research Report Impact of humour based advertisements on brand recall
Group 11, Section B

Executive Summary
Advertising tries to capture the psychological impact of emotions of consumers on their
buying decisions and brand recognition. Marketeers & brand managers are increasingly
using humour as one of the provoking element which connects people and creates an
impression on consumers’ mind; yet the association between humorous advertising and
brand recall has not been studied effectively. Through this research, we aimed to see the
impact of humorous ad content on brand recall and tested whether a correlation exists
between these two. We designed our research through a combination of exploratory &
descriptive research, and conducted FGDs and diverse in-depth interviews. Initially, we
hypothesized the presence of correlation between the brand recall and humorous ad
content and also partially between the likeability of ad and its humorous content. We then
conducted regression analysis on the responses collected through a survey based on
presenting glimpses of humorous ads and then letting respondents recall the brand
name.
The outcome of our research suggests that a weak to moderate correlation exists between
the brand recall and humorous content of the ads which also partially supports the
previous researches. We found that humor does not guarantee a successful brand recall
but the likeability of the ad increases if appropriate humor is presented before the
audience. Humor can be used as a tool to enhance the entertaining aspects of an ad. But
it is also important to keep in mind the content, the type of humor, and the objective
conveyed through the ad so that it does not negatively affect the sentiments of any
individuals or groups which in turn can hamper the brand image.

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Introduction
For years marketers have used humorous content in advertising as a means of communication though
their effectiveness for various factors have been difficult to quantify. Humor as an instrument of
marketing is used by all brands, big or small, new entrant or well established. The fact that humor can
be used in the advertisement for any product depending on the creativity of ideas, and as its target
audience reach is much wider, it can be seen as a favorable choice for marketers. Though it is proven
to have high correlation with attention attraction, its footprint on retention can be questioned and
humor doesn’t guarantee better ads. Studies claimed that 94% of practitioners see humor as a way of
gaining attention and 54% claiming humorous ads being superior for the same, which was later proven
wrong. Various measures of effects indicated recall as attention or comprehension [1]. Even relevance
of ad content to the brand which when executed properly attracts attention, but it could compromise
the overall effectiveness when only relevance is focused indicating that the right balance of its
robustness and relevance is hard to strike [2]. The effect of humor on brand recall and recognition had
been studied to assess the impact of overall effectiveness of marketing. Brand recall is the ability of
consumer to clearly identify and classify the groups of product. Affective humor tends to be more
effective than social and cognitive humor in brand recall which works through enhanced experiences,
perception framing and organized memory [3]. Shalini Trivedi found that the recall factor topped the
rank by humorous commercial with 47% repetitive commercial, social awareness commercial, or
emotional message commercial [4]. Massive bombardment of advertisement on phones, video
streaming channels and televisions are eating away the interest of the audience and the availability of
options to skip ads have made the capturing of attention from the attention deficit society much more
unattainable; the only way to get through the target customer is to be catchy from the beginning.

Research Methodology

Exploratory Research and Descriptive Research

Why exploratory?

Because of the lack of sufficient literature on the topic, we aimed to gather preliminary information &
wanted to go with an open mind for conducting our research. This helped us in gathering insights
through the discovery of new ideas and unraveling of thoughts on humorous content and brand recall.

Why descriptive?

On the basis of past researches on humor & marketing, and with our observations and experiences in
real life, we hypothesise that humorous content in ads have a correlation with brand recall. We aimed
to test this hypothesis to see whether an actual correlation is present there.

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Overview of Research Design

1. Exploratory Research

1.a Focus Group Discussion

The focus discussion group was conducted in a group of seven people from different backgrounds and
experiences to obtain in-depth insights through diverse opinions, beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of the
participants. The group related well to the topic and had a lot to share. They seemed to take a general
interest in advertisements.

1.b In-depth interview

Individuals of different age and gender were interviewed to get more holistic insights of how they feel
towards humorous ads and in what ways were they being influenced and how they react to humorous ads.
We tried to approach the interviews in an unstructured & intuitive manner.

2. Descriptive Research

2.a Literature review

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Yueh-Hua Lee did her studies to compare types of humour through her work of testing the hypothesis that
humorous advertisement with affective orientation gives better result in brand recall than advertisement
with cognitive orientation. It was concluded that the paired comparison showed significant effectiveness
with M eff 0.73>M cog 0.6 at P>0.05 [3].

Study on “A Process Analysis of the Effects of Humorous Advertising Executions on Brand Claims
Memory” by Khrishnan tested the memory stimulus for various strength of humour ( no humour,
moderate humour and high humour) and concluded that humour have symmetric association with brand
claim. Strength of humour also play role in recall which in their studies proves that higher level of humour
are connected with higher recall [2].

In her work, Shalini Trivedi analysed the impact of brand recall on the buying behaviour of consumers
when advertised using humorous TV ads observed that recall factor was higher for those which uses
funny commercials as compared to other types of commercials [4].

Bilal Mustafa Khan and Saima Khan studied on the effect of humorous advertisement on how it impacts
the attitude towards the ads, towards the brand, purchasing intention and behaviour. They compared 4
brands which actively used funny commercials against those which doesn’t and established that humour in
ads led to viewers feeling good that created brand recognition [5].

2.b Hypothesis Testing

Our study used a questionnaire survey method by collecting online responses from random
individuals. The conducted survey contained Gif clippings from 10 all time famous humorous
advertisements. (Survey floated attached in appendix 2) The respondents had to type in the brand
name from the GIF (made from video advertisement clipping) for the 10 Ads and rate them overall on
the perceived parameters of Likability, Humorous content, Tastefulness and subtle & interest. Out of
185 responses recorded, a total 170 valid responses were collected. Regression analysis was utilized to
test multiple hypotheses.

For measuring the impact of humor we used a Likert Scale.

Strongly Somewhat
Unsure Agree Strongly Agree
Likert's scale Disagree Disagree
1 2 3 4 5

Research Analysis

1. Analysis of Focus Group Discussion

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Number of attendees : 7
The group appreciated subtle, intelligent ads and recognised the existence of slapstick humor in
advertisements as well. The general opinion was that certain ads play well with a set of audience that may or
may be the target audience, whereas the rest of the audience might find it distasteful. The group did digress
a little bit into cultural aspects of the audience receiving the ad but the discussion turned itself around to
how advertisement culture has evolved over time in the sense that funny ads with sexist or offensive
undertones are no longer appreciated and hence, brands shy away from making controversial ads.

On brand recall, the group fared poorly when guessing the brand from a tagline of a humorous ad.
Everyone knew the product, but no one guessed the brand correctly. Another observation was that the
group seemed to agree that humorous ads are a way to differentiate between similar products and that they
are frequently made for products with low involvement. The group discussed a few well-known funny ads
and why the ads may have a good recall and why some brands are also easily recalled whereas some are lost
behind all the humor. Ad series with repeat characters and nostalgia associated with some brands were
concluded to be potent factors in aiding brand recall. An interesting observation that popped up during
the discussion was about combining humor and mascots such as in Vodafone ads (Zoozoos) or the Amul
Butter girl and their effectiveness. The group concluded that these ads invoke immediate brand recall and
are remembered for their humor.

The discussion was then led towards memes and their usage in advertisements. The group had a general
opinion that it was an innovative idea as they could relate well and memes could be a potential means of
advertisement in the future as more and more people are exposed to them every day and in near future, the
consumer segment with the highest purchasing power will be the meme aware generation. The discussion
ended with some reminiscences of ads that individuals found humorous and recalled well.

2. Analysis of In-depth interview

Individuals of different age and gender were interviewed to get more holistic insights of how they feel
towards humorous ads and in what ways were they being influenced and how they react to humorous
ads.
Across the group we were able to capture the data for different age groups. The analysis based on age
segmentation is as below:

Number of people interviewed= 7 of both gender with diverse background

Interviewees’ main source of Ads is through YouTube and social media. Most interviewees appreciate
humor and feel that Ads should contain humor as it make them more catchy and attractive.
Advertisements that are rare, emotional and catchy tends to catch their attention. Most subjects tend
to pay attention and continue with the ads only if they find it interesting in the initial few seconds. TV
could garner more attention than those with skippable option on video streaming channels.
Interviewees enjoy memes as these are single images and crisp. He/she comments meme are catchy and
follow the trends. They couldn’t recall any product advertised through meme but thinks memes
would be a good medium of advertisement as they are easy to share and could help in branding. The

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effect of humorous advertisements on brand recall is moderate for the interviewees. Most remember
the ads and few of them recall the corresponding brand but it apparently does not affect their
purchasing decision. Overall most interviewees revealed that humor is an add-on for increasing brand
recall. But upon asking it was revealed that there was also confusion in brand recall with a similar
brand with few subjects.

Description Key Questions Snippets of Interview

of Individuals

25, Female, Channel/medium for watching ads? You tube

Software
Engineer What gets your attention? Intriguing and interesting ads

Can humor catch your attention? Yes

Any types of humor you are aware I like sarcastic and satirical ones
of/ you like?

Do you recall any brand with funny Yes, center fresh, mentos
ads?

Is the recall exclusively because of I generally like the product, it helps

humor? me in remembering

Do you think humor increases brand Yes, mostly

recall?

What exactly do you remember in Catchy phrases

these ads

Generic humor or unique? Unique

Additional factors that would affect Time, it should be short, less than a
your decision of watching the ad? minute

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24, male, Main medium or channel You tube, billboards, TV and

software automotive websites
engineer
Do you skip or watch the complete Depends, watch only if few seconds
ad are catchy. On TV, I pay attention

Not more than emotional connect

Does humor attract you?
Subtle
Types of humor of your choice?
Yes, and it’s easy to share
Do you think memes would attract
your attention?

24, male, Do you pay attention to Skip for youtube but pay attention
student advertisement or skip when it is on TV

What do you want to see in ads Discounts, innovative products or

beautiful sceneries.

Does humor attract your attention? Yes, definitely

Where do you see commercials YouTube, Facebook, TV, Instagram,

Billboard

Kind of humor? Slapstick

Do you like memes and why? I love memes, they are witty and out
of the box, often utilize dark humor

Do you remember any funny memes No

used for ads?

Would you be interested to check out Probably not if it is in

my products after seeing funny ads? Facebook/YouTube but may be yes,
if it is in supermarket

Which would help recall the brand, Until and unless really unique I
generic or unique ads? might not remember

What would help in making the you Emotional connect

remember ads

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27, Male, How do you often watch YouTube and google news everyday
Software commercials
engineer Yes
Do you like humorous ads?
No, not really
Do you pay attention to ads?
Only if I had known the brand, for
Would you recall the brand because new products I might not
it was funny?
Because its time consuming to watch
Why do you skip ads them all

Something that appeals me

What kind of ads do you like emotionally

Does your perception of the brand No

change after seeing funny ads?

Print ads or video? Video but I am also concerned of the

time

23, Female, Channel/medium for watching ads? Youtube, skips if not interested
Student
Any types of humor you like? Subtle which highlights importance
of the product

Favourite funny ads? Fevicol

What do you think about To an extent it is impactful if

exaggeration in ads leading to effectively communicates brand and
humour? product feature

Brand recall for ads shown by sharing Moderate to high

link

25-30, Male, Channel/medium for watching ads? Youtube, diligent in watching ads
Senior System
Engineer Any types of humor you like? Any, light

Favourite funny ads? Mauka Mauka ICC Cricket world

cup 2015 ad

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What do you think about Creative, easy to remember

exaggeration in ads leading to
humour?

Brand recall for ads shown by sharing Low, poor, easily confused with
link other humorous ads

3. Analysis from the survey

Quantitative Research Method:

Based on Qualitative Analysis correlation between different elements of humour perceived and brand
recall is analyzed using Regression Analysis.

The conceptual framework for exploring humour advertisements and its brand recall is given below:

Elements of
Humour Humorous
Perceived Advertisements Buying
Likable behaviour

Humorous Ad recall
Purchase
Intention
Tasteful Brand
Cognition
Subtle
Humour &
Interesting

Data Set classification on the basis of demographics:

Age Group No. of

Respondents
0-18 1
18-25 125
26-35 44

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Gender No. of
Respondents
Males 109
Females 71

Occupation No. of
Respondents
Student 105
Working 53
Professional
Not Working 12

Source of Ads No. of

Respondents
TV 60
YouTube 88
Print Media 15
Other 7

Analysis Result

1. Correlation between humor and brand recall

Ho: Humor does not have a significant correlation with brand recall
Ha: Humor has a significant correlation with brand recall

A simple linear regression test was deployed for the same, and the null hypothesis was successfully
rejected at 80% significance level.

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ANOVA

The null hypothesis failed to reject for all significance levels above 80%.

2. Correlation between subtle humor and brand recall

Ho: Subtle humor does not have a significant correlation with brand recall
Ha: Subtle humor has a significant correlation with brand recall

A simple linear regression test was deployed for the same, and the null hypothesis was successfully
rejected at 85% significance level.

ANOVA

The null hypothesis failed to reject for all significance levels above 85%.

3. Correlation between demographic parameters with humor and brand recall.

Ho: Male students aged 18-25 who watch ads on YouTube do not show a significant correlation
between subtle humor and brand recall.
Ha: Male students aged 18-25 who watch ads on YouTube show a significant correlation between
subtle humor and brand recall

A simple linear regression test was deployed for the same, and the null hypothesis failed to reject.

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ANOVA

Ho: Male students aged 18-25 who watch ads on TV do not show a significant correlation between
subtle humor and brand recall.
Ha: Male students aged 18-25 who watch ads on TV show a significant correlation between subtle
humor and brand recall

A simple linear regression test was deployed for the same, and the null hypothesis was successfully
rejected at 85% significance level.

ANOVA

Limitations of Study
There were multiple limitations that we came across when we started to study the effect of humour in
advertisements on brand recall. These limitations were realized across multiple stages of the research, and
have been listed below.

● Lack of sufficient literature on the topic made literature review a Herculean task. Instead, we
decided to rely heavily on preliminary research to collect qualitative and quantitative data.
● Since the effect of humour on brand recall is highly subjective and it varies from person to person,
the research had to be heavily relied on qualitative data than quantitative.
● The definition of humour is subjective because of which the results may not be consistent across
the sample surveyed.

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● Though humorous advertisements had a correlation with the intention to purchase a product, it
was difficult to establish a causal relationship between both, because of which the study was
limited to finding the effect of humour on brand recall.
● The research (Interviews, Focus group discussion and Survey) was primarily conducted across the
age group of 18-25, and hence the results may be skewed towards that age group.
● Most of the brands which used humorous advertisements had positioned themselves in the market
with humour, and did not have non-humorous ads to compare with to effectively analyze the
correlation between humour and brand recall.
● Free text fields for majority of the questions in survey made the data cleaning difficult as there were
lots of inaccurate and invalid data that had to be corrected and cancelled out.

Conclusion
Qualitative measures:

Overall, the interviews and FGD revealed that humor is an add-on for increasing brand recall. The recall
for the well known brands doing humorous advertising was high but not for others. Sometimes, the
humorous ads also lead to confusion in brand recall with a similar brand. Also, the content of humor
should be chosen in a vigilant way which doesn’t hurt sentiments or feelings of any groups or a consumer.

Based on our qualitative survey analysis, the results for the FGD and interviews were confirmed
wherein we saw a correlation between humor and brand recall as well as the type of humor and brand
recall in addition to the fact that people remembered the ad in some cases or a different product by the
same company but not the brand exactly.

Quantitative Measures:

Based on the results of the primary research, several hypothesis were tested in accordance with our
findings from the qualitative analysis and literature review. The results of the quantitative analysis
indicated a weak to moderate correlation between humor and brand recall at 80% significance level,
while a moderate correlation between subtle humor and brand recall at 85% significance level.

The results hence, are in accordance with the qualitative analysis.

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Appendix

Appendix 1
List of Ads taken up for survey:

1 5 star

2 Ambuja cement

3 Amul macho

4 Center Fruit

5 Chlormint

6 Havells

7 Imperial Blue

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8 Mentos

9 Snickers

10 Sprite

Appendix 2
Link for survey preview:

https://iimcal.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/preview/SV_ehYGxXHYK1TNo0d?Q_SurveyVersionID=
current&Q_CHL=preview

Questionnaire to capture opinions about Ads Likert Scale

The Ads were likeable 1 2 3 4 5
The Ads were humorous 1 2 3 4 5

The Ads were tasteful 1 2 3 4 5

The humor in the Ads was subtle and interesting 1 2 3 4 5

The Ad impacted my purchasing decision 1 2 3 4 5

Interviews Transcripts:
Interviewer : Vallari Srivastava (V)
Interviewee: Mihika Srivastava (M)
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Profession: Software Engineer
Part 1:
V: Hi, thank you for joining and helping me conduct my market research. So, let’s
start with having an introduction of yourself.
M: Hello, I’m Mihika, a Software Engineer and 25 years old.
V: Okay, thanks for being with us Mihika. I would like to ask if you often watch
advertisements?
M: Intentionally, I never do. But, sometimes if I happen to come across them.
V: So, what are the frequent channels/mediums where you watch those ads?

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M: I use YouTube frequently and as we all know there are so many ads on YouTube
these days, so I often come across ads which are interesting & intriguing, and then I
watch them.
V: You mentioned intriguing ads. Can you please tell what are intriguing ads for you?
M: I mean that keeps you stuck to it. There was this ad of Nivea which Anushka
Sharma was endorsing where she kept saying that you can just skip the video and
do your work. But, the ad was interesting to me and I kept watching it till the end. So
it made me stick to it.
V: So, do you think humor is one of the elements in the ad which can be used to
make people stick to it?
M: Yeah, definitely. Everyone loves humor. So, definitely it can be used to make
people interested
V: How will you define humor in your terms?
M: Anything which is funny, that makes you laugh.
V: Any particular types of humor you’re aware of?
M: There are many, I mostly like sarcastic humor and satirical ones .
V: Coming back to the humor question, do you remember some of the ads/brands
because of the humor element present in them?
M: Yeah, there are many. I can think of centre fresh, centre fruit, and mentos ads etc.
V: What particularly strike you about those ads?
M: Mentos, that tagline “Dimag ki batti jala de”. So, basically these catchy phrases.
V: Do you find them to be humorous?
M: Yeah, sometimes. Like another are “Melody itni chocolaty kyun hai”, “Ye to bada
toing hai”etc.
V: Okay, do you think humor is basically intended to catch attention or is there some
hidden meaning attached to that humor promote the brand?
M: I think there’s hidden meaning and also for catching attention. Things get catchy
when you keep on remembering them. Like chlormint “Dobara mat puchna”.
Everyone use that in their daily lives also .
V: Do you think it’s important to advertise using humor? If your answer is yes, then
why?
M: Yeah, actually humor makes the content interesting. And, everyone loves humor.
So, it should be used.
V: Now coming back to your example of centre fruit and mentos, do you recall these
brands because of the humor element or is there something else which makes you
recall them?
M: Actually I like chewing gums, so I remember them. The ads are also helpful in
recall.
V: Okay, how important do you consider humor based advertisements in purchasing
something when you go outside?
M: I myself do not purchase anything based on humor but sometimes if the product

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or ad is really interesting or intriguing enough that you want to know what’s inside, I
do check them out.
V: Do you think the type of humor portrayed in ad affects your views regarding the
credibility of that brand?
M: Sometimes it does if it is presented in a nice good way or in a way people are
able to convey the message through using humor.
V: Do you think humor always help in having a positive impact on the brand recall or
there are instances where it can also hamper the positive image?
M: Like I said before, that totally depends on how you’re portraying your message
which is not harming any sentiments or feelings or not touching upon sensitive
topics.
V: Do you think the brand recall increase/decrease if the humor element is present in
it?
M: It definitely increases I guess.
V: Sure, now do you also agree to the notion that humor helps in conveying a clear
message to the audience?
M: Umm, yeah. If the ad is humorous, then everyone will watch it and it will reach to
a wider audience. If the message is clear and proper, then it will be helpful.
V: Here, I would like to show you some of the advertisements now which I found to
be humorous and then will ask more questions on them.
(Shows several humor based ads attached in the file: )
Part 2:
V: So, we’re back after watching those advertisements. First of all, I would like to ask
what is the first thing you remember about them, say for the advertisements you liked
the most.
M: I liked that advertisement where a small kid kept running and ruining all the stuff
in the house and then the parents asked if you have TVs, refrigerators and stuff.
They way they showed it was really funny.
V: Do you also remember the brand’s name?
M: Yeah, definitely. It was OLX.
It was a series of moments that kept me interested that what is going to happen next
and then they said it is OLX.
V: Did you find an element of humor in the ad?
M: Yeah, it was funny how the parents were frustrated with child ruining all the things
and then they asked others to sell their stuff.
V: Was the advertisement likeable?
M: Yes
V : Attractive?
M: Yeah, you can say. I find humor to be always attractive.
V: After watching this ad, would you like/want to go on OLX platform to check what
all do they have?

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M: They had so many things of household from washing machines to sofas and all.
So one would like to go and check what all they do have.
V: So you’re saying after watching this ad you will be intrigued to know more about
the brand?
M: Absolutely
V: Any other ads which caught your attention?
M: Umm, there was this ad of centre fruit. “Jeebh laplapaye”catch phrase which
motivated me more to know about the brand.
V: Will you agree your purchases will be affected by the brand recall you have with
those ads?
M: Sometimes, it does.
V: Can you please elaborate?
M: If it’s something new and shown in attractive way, I become interested.
V: Any particular brands whose ads you like?
M: Yeah, dairy milk. They come with new ideas of selling chocolates. They come up
with connected ads in festive seasons and have elements of humor and emotions in
their ads.
V: In your opinion, what are one or two things which grab your attention first while
seeing an ad?
M: It should be interesting, having suspense. Should show the product towards the
end. It should also be humorous to make it more appealing.
V: So, suspense and humor. Do you remember some of the brands because of the
humorous ads they have had in the past or are presently running them?
M: Yeah, like that Nivea cream ad I mentioned. It was funny and attractive despite
being small.
V: Okay. What was the last time when you saw this ad?
M: It came about 2-3 months ago. Normally, I skip ads but I kept watching this one.
V: And you were able to remember this because of?
M: She kept saying “you should go ahead to watch your video”but I was stuck there.
V: Any other brand which you remember on the similar lines?
M: That “Ye to bada toing hai”ad. We used to see it on TV. It was really funny and
the phrase was catchy.
V: Do you remember the brand because of the ad?
M: Yes, because of the catchy phrase.
V: Now, I would like you to rate the ad you watched previously on some parameters
with the scale of 1 to 5 where 5 is the highest rating.
M: Okay
V: I believe OLX was the ad which caught your attention first.
Were you able to relate well with this ad? 4
Was the ad consistent with other products/ads of this brand? 3
How much pleasant the ad was? 3.5

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How much humorous was the ad? 4.5

Overall score for advertisement? 4
V: After seeing this advertisement, what is the likelihood of you remembering the
OLX brand because of this ad?
M: That depends. We generally don’t remember all ads but the ones which have
catchy phrases. But if I see some object of the ad, say sofa on the OLX website or
app, I would be able to relate to it.
V: Moving forward, how often do you use social media?
M: I am actually active on social media.
V: Do you know something about memes?
M: Yes, I do. And they are in trend these days.
V: And how do you feel after watching those memes?
M: They just take few seconds and are very funny. So, I like watching them.
V: So, would you be impressed if I advertise my product with the help of a meme.
M: Yeah, why not.
V: Would you also be interested in knowing more about the product if my meme
interests you?
M: Yeah, sure. If it’s interesting.
V: Do you remember any brands which have used memes to market their products?
M: You can say, Google.
V: Okay. Do you think memes are always humorous?
M: Most of the times. There are also different kind of humor you can see through
memes.
V: Okay, and what is it about the memes which catches your attention?
M: Basically, the taglines and the phrases used to describe the picture.
V: Any other brand which you can recall on the basis of meme advertisement?
M: Zomato. A meme where they show two sides of ordering food, the easier one
being through zomato app.
V: Did you already know about zomato or you came to know through this ad?
M: I already knew about it. Memes are a recent trend.
V: If an ad or meme is not humorous, would you still be interested or would still
remember the brand.
M: That depends. Humor is an add-on. If the ad is emotional, then also we remember
the brands for eg Fair & Lovely. Humor based ads bring a smile to our face and are a
bit relieving as well.
V: Do you also feel that humor has always positively affected your feelings about the
brand or there have been cases otherwise as well?
M: Yeah, like I told you before it depends on the content. Like there was an ad of
dettol where a person kills someone and then uses dettol to wash their hands. Kids
these days are also watching some of these ads which affects them in a negative
manner. On the other hand, surf excel ad like “Daag ache hain”motivates kids to go

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and have mud around them. So it depends on the content.

V: So, you do feel that humor has negative connotation with the brands.
M: Yeah, sometimes.
V: Do you recall dettol because of the negative ad you talked about?
M: Yeah, because negativity catches your attention, it was a bit scary as well.
V: Other than humor, what would it take to recall a brand?
M: Emotional connect, Adventurous like mountain dew ads.
V: Would you recall a product if generic humor is used or any unique humor is used?
M: Unique one.
V: As we talked about dettol, what do you feel about the product after seeing a
humorous ad?
M: It can evoke both negative and positive feelings depending on the content and the
viewer, the ad was scary but as an adult I was able to recognize that it’s
inappropriate. A kid wouldn’t have recognized that.
V: Okay. Now, I will introduce you to FCD grid.
(Explains: The FCB Grid helps us understand where a product stands in the mind of
a consumer, by estimating whether or not purchase requires a highly involved
emotional decision or a highly involved intellectual decision. With that information, we
can devise four advertising concepts about a single product that will influence
different buyers.
Enter the X/Y axis, which spans from low involvement (clothing pins) to high
involvement (a Porsche) and from a product that makes you think (insurance) to a
product that makes you feel (Papa John’s). )
I would like you to rate the discussed products in this matrix.
M: 2 (Feel+High Involvement). It also made me think a little bit.
M: Most of them would be in quadrant 2. The dettol ad made me think what they are
doing.
V: Any other thing which you would like to add on the topic of humorous
advertisements and their impact on brand recall.
M: I would say that humor is anyway a good and relieving thing for us. But the
content should be kept in mind and I also want them to keep the ads short like less
than 1 minutes. Like how much you can endorse your brand with less time and
humor, like memes do .

Interviewer: I want to interview you for our marketing project and so I will show you few
advertisement and ask questions after that. Apart from that I will also ask general questions on my
interest of studies not related to those ads. You can answer in any style you want and describe the
way you are comfortable with. So let me start by asking about your age and profession.

Interviewee: I am working in government service in Indian Railways, my age is 56 years.

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Interviewer:how often do you watch advertisement on TV, video channels or newspapers and
magazine?

Interviewee: On TV I watch quite frequently. Online, I rarely pay attention. Sometimes, magazines.

Interviewer: Do you like humorous ads?

Interviewee: yes

Interviewer: how would you define humor with respect to advertisement?

Interviewee: Something funny. Something which is unexpected.

Interviewer: do you think it is important to advertise using humor? Why?

Interviewee: Yes, it helps in getting your attention and in a way gets noticed.

Interviewer: Would you buy anything just because you saw the humorous ad, did it prompt your
curiosity?

Interviewee: I do not know about the buying part but the product does gets registered by seeing the
ad, and maybe if I don’t have a choice sometime, I may end up buying the product.

Interviewer: what are the funny ads that you remember seeing?

Interviewee: Can’t seem to remember any at this point.

Interviewer: do you recall the brand because it was funny or because you had already known the
brand and that it helped

Interviewee: the funny part certainly helped but knowing the brand earlier had made retain them in
my memory, if it was just for new product I wouldn’t have remember long enough

Interviewer: do you pay attention to ads in general when you see them in TV?

Interviewee: I do not purposefully watch the ad. I skip through channels during ads.

Interviewer: when ads are streamed, do you normally skip or watch the entire ad?

Interviewee: Generally, I do not watch Youtube.

Interviewer: what kind of ads would you like see more, jokes, fun and lively, family, friends, practical,
imaginative?

Interviewee: I would like innovative ad. Something which is not just stating the obvious. It should
convey in an innovative manner so as to get attention.

Interviewer: now let me show you few ads and I would ask you to pay attention to the ads

Interviewer: do you think the ads were funny?

Interviewee: yes, ads were quite funny. Quite innovative.

Interviewer: what the first thing you remember about the ads

Interviewee: I have seen some ads before. Was able to recall some ads when I started watching it. I
remembered the pidilite, sprite, center fruit.

Interviewer: how do you feel about the product after seeing those ads, I mean your perception?

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Interviewee: It didn’t lead me to purchase the products because I don’t consume these products, the
perception was that of funny. The product got registered, but nothing on the quality of the product.

Interviewer: Let’s say if you had to buy aerated drink, would you buy sprite? Would you buy because
of the ad?

Interviewee: Yes, I would buy sprite. Not sure about the reason but the ad has surely gotten
registered in my head. Somehow, I like the product too.

Interviewer: what the products were something that you are not aware of?

Interviewee: I won’t have change much, it won’t end at being just another funny ad, but if I see those
more often I might start recalling the brand

Interviewer: would you be interested in the product whose ads are really unique and funny?

Interviewee: Those ads do get registered, and I do remember the ad.

Interviewer: what kind of parameters in ads like funny, interesting, emotional are you attracted to

Interviewee: overall, even if it has joke, or storyline, if it not narrated well, it won’t be helpful.

Interviewer: Would you buy a product because of a funny commercial/ad?

Interviewee: Not immediately, but maybe sometime as the product is registered due to the funny ad.

Interviewer: Did you find any ad offensive? In general, do you remember any other ad which was
offensive?

Interviewee: I’m not able to recollect any right now but I do remember that there are some ads which
are offensive.

Interviewer: Do you watch memes? Do you have any idea about memes?

Interviewee: No, I don’t.

Interviewer: Have you used any of the products of the ads which you saw?

Interviewee: Only sprite, maybe mint sometime.

Interviewer: Any other ad that you remember?

Interviewee: Navratna Oil.

Interviewer: Have you used/intend to use the product? Is it because of the ad?

Interviewee: Yes, I do. Because the ad is registered in my head, I certainly intend to use the product
sometime.

Interviewer: Do you remember the ad because of a celebrity or the humor element?

Interviewee: Bit of both actually.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT - Impact of humor-based advertisements on brand recall

File:0085/55_Group11_Anjali Sam_01

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Group 11, Section B

Interviewer:Anjali Sam
Interviewee:Jitin Varghese Philip, 24 years, Keralite, Software engineer in Qualcomm

Anjali:Do you normally pay attention to advertisements/commercials or do you usually skip

them?
Jitin:Depends on the medium. In case of Youtube videos, if the first few seconds are catchy, I
would sit through them. Else I would skip them.

Anjali:Okay you are particularly talking about Youtube here. You are aware of other
mediums, right?
Jitin:Yeah, for TV ads, I usually sit through them and pay attention.

Anjali:In case of Youtube ads, what exactly would get you interested in an advertisement
such that you would stay and watch it? You were talking about ads being catchy. What do
you mean by catchy?
Jitin:If suppose the ad is from something like Uber, you know what to expect from them, so I
skip them. But in case of few ads like that of Vicks where they talked about people with rare
diseases and they brought about an emotional touch to the ad which made me stay and watch
it. It started with something rare and it had a suspense that spiked my interest.

Anjali:So, anything that is rare, emotional and catchy will catch your attention.
Jitin:Yes.

Anjali:Does humour in an advertisement attract you?

Jitin:Normally I would skip it unless it is something based on a reality show or comedian. I
do not generally watch it if it is on a product or a brand, unless it is a TV ad.

Anjali:Is it safe to assume that humour does not really attract you in an advertisement?
Jitin:I agree that humour doesn’t really appeal to me as much as emotional connect.

Anjali:Where all do you remember seeing these commercials?

Jitin:Billboards, Website ads – as I usually go through lot of automotive websites

Anjali:What about social media? Do you use it?

Jitin:I do not use social media much, but I do remember seeing some ads that caught my
attention and that led me to buy a product

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Anjali:Oh really?! I will come back to that after a few more questions.

Anjali:What exactly would humour be according to you? What would come out as humorous
to you?
Jitin:Something that I can relate to myself. Something that happened to me. Or even ads that
bring out subtle humour with a twist. For example, the Orbit ad with a cow chewing the
gum. That ad caught my attention because my family has cows.
Anjali:Something that you can relate to, and brings about a twist and catches your attention
would be attractive to you.

Anjali:What kind of humour in an ad would you appreciate?

· slapstick – deliberate with clumsy

actions
· satire – exaggerated, used for criticism
· intelligent – clever, witty
· subtle – not so obvious
· dark – a style that makes a taboo topic
light
Jitin:I think I would appreciate subtle humour. If the joke is a small part of the ad, I would
still remember the ad instead of the entire ad deliberately trying to make it humorous

Anjali:Apart from the Orbit ad, is there any ad that you remember because they were
humorous? Any favourites?
Jitin:I cannot remember anything related to a product/company.

Anjali:You told about purchasing a product after seeing an ad. Can you tell me what the ad
was and what was the product you purchased?
Jitin:I was looking for a Graphic t shirt. I found a website called Soul store in Facebook.
Their ad quality was good and it caught my attention. I started going through a lot of
reviews and found the website reliable. I ended up buying 7 T-shirts from them later!

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Anjali:Apart from that, did you go out and try purchasing an Orbit after you saw the
humorous ad?
Jitin:No, I didn’t try it out.

Anjali:I had shared an advertisement related to Mentos. I would just like you to rate the
below parameters on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being highest.
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh8-PifcIUQ

Parameter Score (out

of 5)
Were you able to relate well with 2
this ad?
Was the ad consistent with other 2
ads of this product/brand?
Does the ad fit the 2
product/brand well?
Was there a clarity in 2
communication regarding the
product/brand?

Anjali:How do you generally feel after watching funny ads?

Jitin:If I see a good ad, I usually find the YouTube link to the ad and share it?

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Anjali:What do you feel about the product once you see a funny ad on it? Do you feel that
funny ads are just a means of grabbing attention of consumers or that it passes a message
regarding the product/brand as well?
Jitin:If it is a new product/company, I think humorous ads helps you trust the brand more.
But if it is an established company, I don’t see it helping much.

Anjali:You are aware about memes? What do you feel after watching memes?
Jitin:I think they are a really good means of communication.

Anjali:Do you recall any funny memes?

Jitin:I do recall generic memes especially on international issues that spread a message like
the Europe oil crisis. It made me aware of this issue.

Anjali:Do you recall any memes used for advertising?

Jitin:No

Anjali:Would you be impressed if I advertised my product using a meme? Suppose I am an

FMCG company that would like to advertise a new detergent through memes.
Jitin:Yes, I think it would work because memes are pictures that can help people read it
quickly.

Anjali:It also plays a role because it is easy to read and you don’t have to wait around a lot.
Jitin:Yes, that’s right

Anjali:Would you be interested to check out my product thereafter once you see a meme?
Jitin: Yes, I would. Memes also have another advantage of being easy to share.

Anjali:Would you recall the product if I used a generic meme as opposed to a unique meme?
Jitin:I think memes do have an impact, even if it is generic. If it is unique, it would spike my
interest.

Anjali:Other than humour, what would make you remember an advertisement?

Jitin:Emotional appeal. For example, the ad by Vicks on people with rare diseases. Another
example is an Amazon ad which talks about ho w Amazon helps people.

Anjali:Anything else you would like to share?

Jitin:I bought a motorcycle accessory by watching a video by a Blogger I follow.

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Anjali:So, blogging and videos could also be another medium for advertising.
Jitin:Yes.

File:0085/55_Group11_Anjali Sam_02

Interviewer:Anjali Sam
Interviewee:George Santhosh, 24 years, Keralite, 1styear MBA student at NMIMS Mumbai

Anjali:Do you normally pay attention to advertisements/commercials or do you usually skip

them?
George:I watch commercials if it’s on television but in online media like YouTube, I skip
them.

Anjali:What would get you interested in an advertisement?

George:If there are discounts for products like food or clothing, or any other interesting
offer, I’d stay a while just to see what they are saying. Or if there’s some really interesting or
innovative product, I’ll probably stick on to see more. Finally, if the scenery or setting seems
good, I’ll stay for a while.

Anjali:Does humour in an advertisement attract you?

George: Definitely. If it’s really funny, I’ll stick around.

Anjali:Where do you see these commercials?

George: Usually on TV and YouTube. Otherwise, on social media like Facebook and
Instagram.
Billboards too on occasion.

Anjai:What is humour according to you?

George: Something which lightens the mood. It doesn’t have to be a joke. Or it could be
someone saying something really witty. If it makes me laugh, it’s really good.

Anjali:What kind of humour in an ad do you appreciate?

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Group 11, Section B

· slapstick – deliberate with clumsy

actions
· satire – exaggerated, used for criticism
· intelligent – clever, witty
· subtle – not so obvious
· dark – a style that makes a taboo topic
light
George: Slapstick because it’s a good break from what I was doing.Intelligent ones since I can
use it in social gatherings.Dark humour because it’s different and so rarely used.

Anjali:Any ads you remember because they were humorous? Any favourites?
George:I remember the one with two brothers wearing black glasses “Ramesh and Suresh”. I
remember it was a chocolate ad. Bingo Mad Angles “No Confusion Great Combination” ads
because they were very weird and different. Vodafone Zoozoo ads because they were funny
and creative.

Anjali:Did you try/purchase a product upon seeing any of those ads?

George: Yes, I tried Bingo Mad Angles after seeing their ads.

Anjali:For the Vodafone ad I shared with you. I would just like you to rate the below
parameters on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being highest
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfeGMAQJY0M&feature=youtu.be

Parameter Score (out

of 5)
Were you able to relate well with 4
this ad?

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Was the ad consistent with other 2

ads of this product/brand?
Does the ad fit the 4
product/brand well?
Was there a clarity in 2
communication regarding the
product/brand?

Anjali:How do you feel after watching a funny ad?

George: It’s a good stressbuster. I’ll also have something to discuss with my friends. If it’s
really good, I might even try to re-enact the ad.

Anjali:What do you feel about the product once you see a funny ad on it? Do you feel that
funny ads are just a means of grabbing attention of consumers or that it passes a message
regarding the product/brand as well?
George:I think funny ads are for just grabbing attention. The Bingo Mad Angles ads didn’t
make too much sense, it just complemented their catchphrase. However, the Vodafone
haircut ad did however send the message across. I guess it varies depending on type of
humour.

Anjali:Are you aware about memes? What do you feel after watching memes?
George:I love memes. Memes are very witty. It helps to mould the way you think. They also
often utilize dark humour. Plus, it’s great to share good memes with friends and family.

Anjali:Do you recall any funny memes?

George:No. Nothing specific at the moment.

Anjali: Do you recall any memes used for advertising?

George:Not much. Just Mumbai police using creative memes to raise awareness about road
safety.

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Anjali:Would you be impressed if I advertised my product using a meme?

George: Yes, that would be great. If I saw a meme advertising in a supermarket, it would
definitely grab my attention. However, if it’s online, it has to be really unique to grab my
attention.

Anjali:Would you be interested to check out my product thereafter?

George: If I see it in a supermarket, I’ll definitely check out the product. If it’s on social
media, not so much, since it’s already flooded with memes.

Anjali:Would you recall the product if I used a generic meme as opposed to a unique meme?
George: The online space is flooded with memes. Unless it’s really unique, I won’t be
interested.

Anjali: What would make you remember an advertisement? Think of any situation where
you purchased a product after seeing an advertisement.
George:Emotional ads appeal the best to me. Calcium Sandoz ads were really interesting to
me. I remember buying it regularly after seeing the ads. I also believe Boost and Milo ads
prompted me to buy them regularly when I was a kid.

Transcript:
Interview 1:
Kamakshi (Interviewer- K): Hello?
Interviewee: Hello
Hello can you hear me?
Yep I can hear you.
Ok so this is for research purpose.. so first you tell me about yourself like your name.. where do
you work and which age group you belong to like 10 to 20 20 30 30 to 40 or above so ya tell me
about yourself.
Hey Kamakshi so this is Ankit here. My full name is Ankit Saxena and I work as a senior system
Engineer at LinkedIn. So my job role is to secure mobile solutions and infrastructure and it's
been three years I've been working at LinkedIn as IT professional and I belong to which group
between 25 to 30.
Ok so do you like ads? Are you interested in ads?
Yep adjust something which everybody I guess is pretty much interested in because it gives you
insights about the product which is being sold to the customer.
Ok so do like humour? like that is a different question do you like humour in everyday life?
True true because if there is a humour in the ad, it is more Prachi and you know it gives more
attraction towards the customer.
OK so how do you feel after watching a funny ad?
Oh yeah so funny ad it's eventually good because it gets pretty creative so everyone gets glued

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Group 11, Section B

to the TV or any digital advertisement

Ok so let me ask you are not the set of questions
Do you watch YouTube?
Yep I do.
So there is an option of skipping the ads before the video. Do you skip it usually or you stick to
watching the complete ad?
Sweet Prince right if it is the same repeated ad which comes up in the same video which I watch
again and again I do tend to skip it. But whatever looks catchy I do check for like 8 to 10
seconds so I watch it.
so if it is a new word then you prefer watching the completed and then if it repeats then you tend
to skip it?
Exactly.
Ok so now I will display one at and you need to recollect what that ad is for. I am sure you will
remember it but you need to tell me the product if you can catch the product from that ad.
So hear it carefully ok.
Okay
Ad played. Only audio communication.
So remember this ad?
I guess this is for Fevicol Feviquick?
It's tagline was Kaisi jeebh laplapayee.
I'll send you this link so you watch the sad you have the laptop with you right.
Yes I do
So i am sending you this link.
You remember the side of Kaisi jeebh laplapayee?
I guess if I watch it once then I will be able to recall it for sure.
I'm sending you via Gmail
Ok.
Hey so I'm sending you few links through Gmail so please check this link of YouTube which is a
third number.
Ok.
Ok so you can play it.
So it is for Centre Fresh?
Yes.
Ok so you can play it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvWBDWaX-Xg
Ok so how did you find the ad so is it likable, attractive pleasant or interesting?
Yeah, it is interesting.
Ok so can you give me some insights which you got from the ad? Like why did you find it
interesting?
Yeah it's interesting because eventually it's something like it has more offers South Indian
context blend and then it's like a different efforts to showcase and brand the fresh fruit I would
say.
So did you like the humour in the ad?
Humour is ok not so great again I would say.
Ok ok so would you like to buy the product after watching the ad?

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Obviously I would atleast love to try out.

Ok so because of this tagline Kaisi jeebh laplapayee? All does it have no impact on your
decision?
So its like both because Centre Fresh always referred to the Mint but now it has a fruity taste so
one factor is this and second thing it is branded or advertise in such a way like Kaisi jeebh
laplapayee so I would like to give a try for that.
Ok so can you recall any other funny add you must have seen in recent past.
I would say the the feviquick ad in which the guy goes for fishing and uses feviquick and just put
the rod into the pond water and you see the fishes automatically gets sticking. He gets the
fishes out there rather than a guy who is sitting with the actual fish stick. So that's pretty much a
funny ad I would say. Humourous!
Ok so it focuses on its utility as well.
Yeah and again it shows as a product right because feviquick does quickly sticks.
Okay great.
So can you please this next link which I sent you the YouTube link?
It has like funny ads? That one you want me to play.
Yes the first Ad. Yes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_6BRY50Zmc&feature=youtu.be
Yeah so how about this sad how did you find it?
The one with OLX?
Yeah.
It's ok. It's not that catchy I would say used because I was not able to relate to what exactly it
meant. When it showed OLX then only when I got to know. So it's a no for the sale of product
and stuff.
Okay okay. So I am sending you another link now so you can open that link and watch this ad.
Ok.
You can Play It Loud so that it gets recorded.
Oh yeah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SW8bEhetMw
Ok so this one?
Yeah so this one is pretty good . I literally depicts the art which they are trying to say like
Havells. The shockproof electrical stuff. Like a pencil lead is this local made and you will be
prone to get a shock and that eventually is pretty much depicted. That is clear as a message in
the ad with good humour.
So would this ad affect your opinion about brand credibility?
Not really but Havells is like International brand I would say so eventually if that's the point are
trying to back in such way. So they are pretty much equal to all the competitors without this ad.
Show about advertisements so what did you find good about the ad, so how the humour is
affecting the advertisement so what's your opinion on that?
See I would say the guy with that spike thing eventually says that if you get the shock then you
has will also become like that so that's one another thing I would say.
Okay so will you purchase this product after seeing the ad?
Eventually I would love to try because it's again having an international brand.
No not the brand value but only focusing on the ad like if you see this ad after that will you buy
this?

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Not knowing it Havells.

Yes at least I would like to try it once if it's not so expensive and it's a decent price and I would
say because it makes sure everything is safe. I would love to try it once for sure.
so how about the perception of the product like how a funny add would change your perception
of the product? will it categorise the product with the likes of the product similar brands or does
it create a separate segment in your mind that it's a different product? So how funny ad is
bifurcating into a common product or a different product because it's ad is funny?
Basically the mindset as a consumer for me Goes by the advertisement I would say and
keeping in mind Havells is basically more of a funny ad but it says as I said right if you don't buy
right product it might make you face the situation where you start getting electrical shocks which
you really don't want to. And I see safety first . this funny and might eventually make me to try
the product once to know what it is all about.
Ok cool so what do you know about memes?
It is a funny of way humour is just like a single post.
So what do you feel after watching a meme?
Ok so this one?
Yeah so this one is pretty good . I literally depicts the art which they are trying to say like
Havells. The shockproof electrical stuff. Like a pencil lead is this local made and you will be
prone to get a shock and that eventually is pretty much depicted. That is clear as a message in
the ad with good humour.
So would this ad affect your opinion about brand credibility?
Not really but Havells is like International brand I would say so eventually if that's the point are
trying to back in such way. So they are pretty much equal to all the competitors without this ad.
Show about advertisements so what did you find good about the ad, so how the humour is
affecting the advertisement so what's your opinion on that?
See I would say the guy with that spike thing eventually says that if you get the shock then you
has will also become like that so that's one another thing I would say.
Okay so will you purchase this product after seeing the ad?
Eventually I would love to try because it's again having an international brand.
No not the brand value but only focusing on the ad like if you see this ad after that will you buy
this?
Not knowing it Havells.
Yes at least I would like to try it once if it's not so expensive and it's a decent price and I would
say because it makes sure everything is safe. I would love to try it once for sure.
so how about the perception of the product like how a funny add would change your perception
of the product? will it categorise the product with the likes of the product similar brands or does
it create a separate segment in your mind that it's a different product? So how funny ad is
bifurcating into a common product or a different product because it's ad is funny?
Basically the mindset as a consumer for me Goes by the advertisement I would say and
keeping in mind Havells is basically more of a funny ad but it says as I said right if you don't buy
right product it might make you face the situation where you start getting electrical shocks which
you really don't want to. And I see safety first . this funny and might eventually make me to try
the product once to know what it is all about.
Ok cool so what do you know about memes?
It is a funny of way humour is just like a single post.

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So what do you feel after watching a meme?

Humorous attached to a pic makes it funny
Okay. so for the funny part do you remember afterwards? or do you tend to forget it and move
on to the next meme and after watching many memes do you remember any particular meme?
Suits always latest according to what's going in the trends regarding to any of the current
situation ya people tend to Remember.today there is anything funny which you do there is a
Meme which comes up and market and gets posted out on social media so I don't think every
Meme you can remember but there are things which are really catchy and it's more funny I
would personally tend to remember that.
so would you be impressed if I advertise any product using meme.
Yup for sure
So do you recall any mean which you saw recently or any trending ones.
For product marketing I don't know. So how's going for a date you cannot just for that name of
this change of Allahabad that is something which is trending for now.
Any other meme which you like?
So they was this meme of moka moka during India Pakistan match that was which was very
catchy.
So if I advertise my product using a meme would you be interested in checking out like there
after.
So meme is something with it is just like a single post which hardly takes a minute. so it will be a
good idea.
Interview 2:
Kamakshi (Interviewer- K): Hello, Hi Ankita!
Interviewee: Hi!
K: Hi, So Let’s start with tell me about yourself like what do you do and your age group, like in
division of 10 and gender and profession.
Ankita (A): So I am a student at IIM Calcutta
K: Okay!
A: And age.. I am 23 years old. Female.
K: Okay! So Let’s Start with Ads. So do you like watching Ads?
A: At starting I didn't but now I have developed a love for Ads.
K: So do you watch Youtube?
A: Yes!
K: So you tend to skip those Ads or do you watch them thoroughly and go through the complete
Ad?
A: If the starting 2-3 seconds seems to be interesting then I watch whole otherwise I skip it.
K: Okay! Yea..
A: Or if something that interests me or it is about something about new TV Series that I find
fascinating then I watch it.
K: Okay So what interests you? What decides whether it is interesting or not?
A: It should be about something which is relevant to me. If it is not then I don't have any interest
in wasting my time over seeing Ads.
K: Okay! Okay! So Do you like humour?
A: Yes everybody likes humour!
K: So what amount of humour you think an Ad should contain.

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Group 11, Section B

A: I think Ads should contain a little bit of humour but along with whatever importance the
product has, because it has a retention value.
K: Okay okay. So how often you like humour based advertisements? Like can you recall any
Advertisement which had humour and you liked it very much?
A: I can recall Fevicol Ads. They are humorous as well as they give the right amount of humour
actually. And it also shows what is the importance of their product. So I think Fevicol Ads are the
best to describe this.
K: Okay! So where do you see commercials? Like online, print media, TV, or Youtube? Where
do you usually watch commercials or Ads?
A: Now when I am in college, I watch on youtube mainly. I don't watch netflix though. Mainly
youtube only otherwise at home on TV.
K: Okay! So what according to you is the definition of humour? What is humour according to
you?
A: something what makes you laugh. In simple words that makes me laugh.
K: Okay So what kind of humour in an Ad would you appreciate? Like there are certain ads
which have different kinds of humour
A: Many Indian Ads are related to male - female kind of humour, mostly based on you know that
marriage kind of things about first night. They find it humorous but I don't personally like those
Ads. It should be something innovative. It should be something different from these things.
K: Okay so you look for satire, or you look for intelligence or something witty or some subtle or
something like dark? What kind of humour would you appreciate?
A: Subtle is always the best one! Intelligent Ads.. Can you give an example of this it would be
helpful for me.
K: So intelligent would be, I will send you one image this Ad of durex. So I like this ad and this is
pretty intelligent of how they are capturing the goal through meme. So I'll send you this image.
A: Yes I like that ad. Yes yes I can recall that. Yes it's definitely a nice Ad!
K: So what do you think about it. Like is the add appropriate. Is it relevant. Or relates well so
how does it relate?
A: Yes that ad has great impact in showing how that product helps you.
K: So now you can watch this first ad number 1 which I sent you. You can play it out loud so that
it gets recorded.
A: The centre fruit ad?
K: Yeah.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=p580FsZClv0
K: OK so how did you like the ad?
A: Yes it was funny.
K: So was it likable?
A: It was but it didn't connect me with the product. It got nothing to do with the product. So I
guess it's tasty your tongue goes like that but it doesn't make much sense.
K: Okay. Okay and was it interesting the funny part?
A: Yes it was interesting and it will have a long lasting effect on everyone but I don't think it
related much to the product.
K: Ok so will you remember this ad? Like after maybe four five months?
A: Yes I can recall this ad from my past 4-5 years when I used to watch these on TV when I was
at home before college. So I recall the ad but based on this people will buy that toffee I don't

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know how much it is relevant.

K: Ok so how do you feel after watching a funny ad? Like do you feel elevated? As if it uplifts
your mood? How did you find it offensive?
A: Yes yes it made me uplift my mood for few seconds. Yes it has a positive effect.
K: So will it affect your Purchase Decision?
A: I am not quite sure if this will induce that purchasing thing in me. Like this ad watched it many
times but based on this ad, when to buy the stuff it's not like that. In fact I don't even remember
its taste.
K: The product?
A: Center fruit product?
A: Yes I don't remember that name also. But I remember this ad.
K: Okay okay. so how does a funny and affect the perception of the product?
Like the kinds of product. So do you categorise it as a normal Candy product or a product with
somewhat funny ad.. somewhat different..so how would this ad affect the perception of the
product?
A: I didn't get the question.. can you elaborate?
K: Okay. So will you categorise this product as a normal any other candy aur this ad will create
a special effect. And you categorise it differently because of this ad?
A: Yes it can be a different kind of ad. Like if you remember the chlormint ad, that was also kind
of funny ad what it induced a purchasing thing in many people.somehow that add related to the
actual product. With this I couldn't relate much. It is funny but I couldn't relate much.
K: OK so how does it affect the think and the feel. Would you think about it while buying? Would
you at least think. After seeing this ad
A: Yes I would but if I see the product in the shop in front of me then I will recall of the Ad and
then I will buy it. It is not that much effective that'll go to a shop and I'll ask for that I want this
product only.
K: Ok so I will send you another link so there is the second link for the ad which you can watch
now.
A: Ok
K: The second Ad.
A: Second one is Havells?
K: Yeah Havells ad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SW8bEhetMw
A: Yes it was a very funny ad
K: So how did this ad affect the brand credibility in your mind
A: When you hear that word shock Laga you always think of Havells. That's the mindset that
has been created by this ad. every time even if you see someone with Spikes on his head you
comment on him like shock Laga Laga Laga shock Laga as this impact of this ad.
K: OK so how do you feel seeing the exaggeration in the ad? like there is bit of exaggeration
involved right, so how do you feel about the exaggeration in the ad?
A: Yes there is exaggeration but it communicated what it meant to like it is shockproof and
others are not shockproof. So it connects to you like if you want to fully shockproof switches at
home for kids. So it's quite an effective ad.
K: So did the brand recall increase for humorous advertisements? like did it affect the brand
recall in your mind like would you think about Havells?

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A: For this ad I would say yes I can't generalize it but for this at definitely yes because shock
Laga is Havells. The word is too connected with the brand.
K: Okay. Okay so let's go back to Centre fruit. So you like the ad so did you ever feel like
purchasing one because of the ad? Did you ever purchase a Centre fruit?
A:I have not actually. If it would have brought in front of my eyes then I would have definitely
bought it but I don't think I got a chance to have it.
K: So any funny Ad which you can recall now? any of your favourite?
A: Like I said I love the Fevicol Ads, all Fevicol ads even that feviquick if you remember. Fisher
with a stick and Feviquick he puts 5 dots of Feviquick.
K: Ok so did you actually buy that product after watching the ad?
A: I think Fevicol is in every home so yes and that ad also affects the decision, it shows the
main property of the product. And in that center fruit ad that is not shown. Like the main thing
the main performance of the product is not shown in the ad in Centre fruit but in these things it is
there.
K: So there is a third I'd also which I would like you to see. so you can open this Facebook link
which I sent you which has the third ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEBLMJeVNVU
K: Hello yeah how did you like the Ad?
A: I think it's an horrible ad.
K: What made you say so?
A:Product has nothing to do with space.
K: Ok so there is exaggeration. So what do you feel about this exaggeration.
A: I think it's too much connecting the chutney to a rocket I don't find it interesting.
K: So they are connecting the spicy chutney with Schezwan Chings masala. so did you find it
humorous why did you say horrible?
A: It was a bad humor but I don't want to see this ad again.. I don't want to see this ad again I
would change the channel probably. Maybe it was meant to be funny but I didn't find it. Was not
interesting it might be funny but it's not interesting.
K: So how did it affect the brand value in your mind?
A:For Chings?
K: Yes after seeing this ad? Now you will remember this ad right and you will remember this
brand.
A: Yes might be but not in a positive way.
K: Ok.
A: Because I didn't like that much I wont look it in a positive way. But because of the brand
value of Ranveer Singh so that would add.
K: So will you purchase this product?
A: I will purchase this for this only because of Ranveer Singh and not because what the ad
shows.
K: Okay
A:He adds his thing to it.
K: Yeah.
K: ok so did you feel it is consistent or inconsistent with the product?
A: Not really.
K: It related to the product well or poorly?

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A: It related very poorly.

K: And did it correspond well? Or poorly?
A: It's not just sweet sweet chatpata bhi hai. But rocket I am not able to connect well
K: Ok
A:I only got that it's teekha. I only got that it's too much of mirch.
K:Schezwan spicy yeah.
A:Yeah are too spicy.
K:Ok so what do you know about memes? Do you like memes?
A:Memes?
K:Yeah..
A:Yeah it's in fashion.
K:So you enjoy a lot of means?.
A:Yeah.
K:So will you enjoy if a product is advertised through memes?
A:Yeah I think.. can you give me an example and please elaborate on it.
K:Yeah like advertisement through memes like I sent you the Durex one earlier. I was a meme.
A:Yeah I like that ad.
K:Okay. So what kind of memes would you like should it be satirical, funny, or witty or somewhat
intelligent somewhat dark?
A: It’s like I can't say one. everything that is latest and related to the product somehow and it
adds meaning. It can be satire, funny witty and it has to be interesting.
K:Ok so memes would go for ads according to you?
A:Yes.
K: Thanks for your time.
A: Np Bye.

Interviewer: I want to interview you for our marketing project and so I will show you few
advertisement and ask questions after that. Apart from that I will also ask general questions on my
interest of studies not related to those ads. You can answer in any style you want and describe the
way you are comfortable with. So let me start by asking about your name, age and profession.

Interviewee: My name is Yarthing, I am 27 and I am a software engineer

Interviewer:how often do you watch advertisement on TV, video channels or newspapers and
magazine?

Interviewee: I don’t watch TV but I check you tube every day, no magazine but I do check google news

Interviewer: Do you like humorous ads?

Interviewee: yes

Interviewer: how would you define humor with respect to advertisement?

Interviewee: anything funny

Interviewer: do you think it is important to advertise using humor? Why?

Interviewee: yes, because it makes it interesting

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Interviewer: Would you buy anything just because you saw the humorous ad, did it prompt your
curiosity?

Interviewee: no, just because it is funny I won’t buy it but yes it slightly increases my curiosity. More
important is that it helps me remember the brand

Interviewer: what are the funny ads that you remember seeing?

Interviewee: I remember one or two, like that of Mercedes, Pepsi or Coca cola

Interviewer: do you recall the brand because it was funny or because you had already known the
brand and that it helped

Interviewee: the funny part certainly helped but knowing the brand earlier had made retain them in
my memory, if it was just for new product I wouldn’t have remember long enough

Interviewer: do you pay attention to ads in general when you see them in TV?

Interviewee: no, not much

Interviewer: when ads are streamed, do you normally skip or watch the entire ad?

Interviewee: I generally skip but if it is captivating in the initial few seconds, I go on to watch the
whole thing

Interview: why do you skip?

Interviewee: because it consumes my time to watch them and if it is not interesting, I won’t sit
through it all

Interviewer: what kind of ads would you like see more, jokes, fun and lively, family, friends, practical,
imaginative?

Interviewee: I don’t like the excessively exaggerated kind, I like something which appeals me
emotionally but it all depends on how creative and unique it is.

Interviewer: now let me show you few ads and I would ask you to pay attention to the ads

Interviewer: do you think the ads were funny?

Interviewee: yes, but not all.

Interviewer: what the first thing you remember about the ads

Interviewee: I remember the brand, like that one you showed about fevicol, scotch brite and centre
fruit

Interviewer: how do you feel about the product after seeing those ads, I mean your perception?

Interviewee: no, it dint, because I had already used their product

Interviewer: what the products were something that you are not aware of?

Interviewee: I won’t have change much, it won’t end at being just another funny ad, but if I see those
more often I might start recalling the brand

Interviewer: have you ever come across ads using memes?

Interviewee: yes but I can’t recollect which ad was it

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Interviewer: would you prefer printed one or video ads?

Interviewee: I would prefer video but also it takes more of my time. Printed ads takes little time to go
through and one can just see a lot of them at a glance if they are embedded in in the articles and news
stories

Interviewer: would you be interested in the product whose ads are really unique and funny?

Interviewee: It depends on the things that I need, not on what I see in ads. If it is something that I can
use, I might be interested and might check out of curiosity, if it is for a product I can’t use, I won’t be
bothered.

Interviewer: what kind of parameters in ads like funny, interesting, emotional are you attracted to

Interviewee: overall, even if it has joke, or storyline, if it not narrated well, it won’t be helpful.

Analysis: the interviewee seems to show high brand awareness and it is easier for him to relate what
the ads want to convey through those funny ads and the brand. He started off with brands for which
he has seen humorous ads. Was it rather the brand that made him remember the jokes instead of the
opposite effect? He admitted that he won’t recall the brand if it was for new products or for products
which he won’t use unless repeatedly encountered. But this doesn’t mean it has to be funny to
remind him of the product. Humor didn’t create brand awareness because it doesn’t retain with him
and he forgets about it. Brand recall works for the product which he is very familiar with.

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION ANALYSIS – GROUP 11

VENUE: LVH C35
DATE: 17-10-2018
TIME: 2230 hours

PARTICIPANTS
· ABHINAV YADAV

· AYUSH SHARMA

· MONICA RAWAT

· PRABHANSH

· SALONI PRIYA

· SHUBHAM PRIYADARSHI

· SHREYA BISWAS

MODERATOR
· ABHILASHA ACHARYA (Group 11)

The focus discussion group consisted of 7 people from different

backgrounds and experiences. The group related well to the topic and had a
lot to share. They seemed to take a general interest in advertisements.

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The group appreciated subtle, intelligent ads and recognised the existence of
slapstick humor in advertisements as well. The general opinion was that
certain ads play well with a set of audience that may or may be the target
audience, whereas the rest of the audience might find it distasteful.

The group digressed a little bit into cultural aspects of the audience
receiving the ad but the discussion turned itself around to how advertisement
culture has evolved over time in the sense that funny ads with sexist or
offensive undertones are no longer appreciated and hence, brands shy away
from making controversial ads.

On brand recall, the group fared poorly when guessing the brand from a
tagline of a humorous ad. Everyone knew the product, but no one guessed the
brand correctly.

Another observation was that the group seemed to agree that humorous ads are
a way to differentiate between similar products and that they are frequently
made for products with low involvement.

The group discussed a few well-known funny ads and why the ads may have a
good recall and why some brands are also easily recalled whereas some are
lost behind all the humor. Ad series with repeat characters and nostalgia
associated with some brands were concluded to be potent factors in aiding
brand recall.

An interesting observation that popped up during the discussion was about

combining humor and mascots such as in Vodafone ads (Zoozoos) or the Amul
Butter girl and their effectiveness. The group concluded that these ads
invoke immediate brand recall and are remembered for their humor.

The discussion was then led towards memes and their usage in advertisements.
The group had a general opinion that it was an innovative idea as they could
relate well and memes could be a potential means of advertisement in the
future as more and more people are exposed to them every day and in near
future, the consumer segment with the highest purchasing power will be the
meme aware generation.

The discussion ended with some reminiscences of ads that individuals found
humorous and recalled well.

References:

1. Impact of humor in advertising, Marc G. Weinberger and Charles S. Gulas [1992]

(https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/marketing/12/)

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Marketing Research Report Impact of humour based advertisements on brand recall
Group 11, Section B

2. Effect of humorous advertising on brand recognition,Bilal Mustafa khan and Saima Khan [2013]
(https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2256287)

3. How people respond to different types of humorous advertising, Yueh-Hua Lee [2014]
(https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9f4d/4d7364bd140efd1641d62b396cf02116a94f.pdf)

4. Would Brand Recall Impact the Customer Buying Behavior of Mobiles, Shalini Trivedi [2013]
(https://www.ripublication.com/gjmbs_spl/gjmbsv3n10_13.pdf)

5. A Process Analysis of the Effects of Humorous Advertising Executions on Brand Claims

Memory, H. Shanker Krishnan [2003]
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057740803701934)

6. The Influences of Humorous Advertising on Brand Popularity and Advertising Effects in the
Tourism Industry [2014]
(ISSN 2071-1050 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability)

7. The Impact of Humor in Advertising: A Review Marc G. Weinberger and Charles S. Gulas
[1992] (https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/e5f8/5be0b5712c10c715912f300c24da72a0cd54.pdf)

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