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A comparison of humor styles in US and Mexican television commercials

Kevin W. Cruthirds (School of Business Administration, University of Texas at Brownsville, Brownsville, Texas, USA)
Valerie L. Wang (Academy of Commerce of the United States, Athens, Ohio, USA)
Yong J. Wang (Marketing Department, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA)
Jie Wei (NUS Business School, National University of Singapore, Singapore)

Marketing Intelligence & Planning

ISSN: 0263-4503

Article publication date: 15 June 2012

2994

Abstract

Purpose

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The purpose of this study was to conduct a content analysis of humor styles used in US and Mexican television advertising.

Design/methodology/approach

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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

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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

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The findings reveal the frequency and types of humorous television commercials used in the USA and Mexico.

Originality/value

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The study suggests that cultural differences should be taken into consideration when humorous advertising is used across borders.

Keywords

Citation

Cruthirds, K.W., Wang, V.L., Wang, Y.J. and Wei, J. (2012), "A comparison of humor styles in US and Mexican television commercials", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 30 No. 4, pp. 384-401. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634501211231856

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2012, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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