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Humor in Copy

by Alex Cohen
6 replies
FEC's most recent interview was with Richard Armstrong, a true A-Lister and long-time direct mail copywriter.

During the conversation, Armstrong touched on the subject of humor in copy. He explained if used correctly, humor can be effective as a direct response technique. To use it properly, the humor must bring attention to the benefits of the product.

As I was listening, my thoughts raced back in time to the Benson and Hedges commercials of the late 1960s. Benson and Hedges had just come out with a longer cigarette, and their commercials used humor to drive that point home.

Take a gander...


Alex
#copy #humor
  • Profile picture of the author andreas3
    What's FEC?
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    • Profile picture of the author Marvin Johnston
      Originally Posted by andreas3 View Post

      What's FEC?
      FEC - Fast Effective Copy, a membership program by Brian McLeod and David Garfinkle.
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      • Profile picture of the author Memetics
        Nearly all humour is based on the element of surprise, and when that "surprise" upsets our pattern recognition faculties and prediction loving mind... then the emotional brain soon perks up and opens up the highway from our senses for as much access as it can get from the environment.

        It's an evolutionary advantage to do so. Back in the ancestral homeland a surprise was usually something life threatening and had to be processed very quickly to activate the relevant emotional response to get us out of danger.

        Nowadays it's used by advertisers to bypass the critical factor and either prime their products or attach an emotional salience to them for a bit of leverage in the call to action.
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  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
    Yes, that is an excellent example.

    The main point: They use themselves as the target of their humor.

    A person that can make fun of himself or herself is considered very strong. They also use that agreement as part of their message.
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  • Profile picture of the author Scott McKinstry
    Wait ... they advertised cigarettes on TV?
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  • Profile picture of the author unifiedac
    Good humor is one method for identifying contradictions, assumptions, and false beliefs in a non-intrusive and insightful way. Getting a person to laugh at absurdities while at the same time recognizing something about himself and his beliefs is the way that humor can generate that "ah hah!" moment in a potential customer. Here's a good resource:

    The Effect of Humor on Advertising Comprehension

    Now get back to your damn cubicle and think outside the box!
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