EFFECTIVENESS OF HUMOR MARKETING STRATEGY AMONG ACTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA USERS A Research Title Proposal Presented to the Faculty of Business Administration Students University of Mindanao Danila, Beverly Gutierrez, Jose Deryk L. Panilag, Katejoy AUGUST 2024 INTRODUCTION It is commonly acknowledged that humor is an effective technique in marketing communications. It has received special attention for how well it works on social media sites where people look for engagement and amusement. Laughter has a good emotional impact on the audience, which increases the content's memorability and shareability (Warren et al., 2020). Because social media is interactive, users are more inclined to remark on, like, or share funny content, which increases organic reach. This makes humor more effective. In today's digital landscape, companies are expected to offer more than just a quality product or service. To truly stand out, businesses must create an authentic connection with their audience, evoking emotions through their products and advertisements. By doing so, companies can build a loyal customer base and differentiate themselves from competitors. Humor, in particular, can be a powerful tool in achieving this emotional connection, taking a brand to the next level and leaving a lasting impression on customers. Humor is an effective way to build a brand because it creates an emotional connection with humans, who are driven by emotions, Isaza (2022). According to Hurley (2021), using humor in social media content can make a brand more relatable and help it connect with its audience. This is because people seek connections and social media facilitates these connections. By using jokes to address everyday issues, brands can create a shared experience with their audience, making humor a valuable strategy for social media content production. The kind of humor used in marketing has a big impact on how successful a campaign is. Puns, satire, irony, self-deprecation, and absurdity are among the humor styles frequently employed in social media marketing, according to Warren et al. (2020). Making fun of oneself or the brand is known as selfdeprecating humor, and it works especially well to humanize and authenticate businesses (Taylor & Costello, 2021). When done correctly, irony and satire can be utilized to showcase brand ideals or challenge social standards, which has an impact on audiences (Kim & Song, 2021). The significance of cultural environment in comedy types is further emphasized by research by Mukherjee and Das (2021). It's possible that something that one culture finds funny won't work as well in another, so international marketers should modify their humor for local audiences to get the most impact. Memes are a type of internet culture that humorously reuse text, photos, and videos. They frequently make reference to pop culture, popular issues, or comparable real-life events. Younger audiences, who frequently interact with this content on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, are especially drawn to memes (Gutiérrez-Cillán et al., 2021). Memes are an adaptable and fast-moving tool that allows marketers to respond swiftly to trends and current events. Memes are a unique breed of humor that thrive on unexpectedness and sarcasm. To create a successful meme, the image and text must come together to create a surprising yet coherent message. However, failed attempts at humor or misjudging the joke can make a brand seem out of touch, potentially alienating consumers. Therefore, it's crucial to thoroughly vet memes to ensure they resonate with the target audience, Bardon (2023). Russell and Camacho (2020) assert that the viral and shareable qualities of memes can greatly raise brand awareness. Memes' amusing and frequently self-aware nature fits well with the casual communication style that social media users prefer, which opens up new avenues for brands to engage users in conversation outside of the traditional advertising space. Inside jokes are jokes that make use of insider information and are frequently related to target consumers or situations peculiar to a certain brand. A sense of exclusivity and community is fostered by this kind of humor among those who get the joke. When brands have a clearly defined audience, inside jokes in marketing can be extremely powerful since they foster a sense of community among the brand's supporters (Pereira et al., 2022). For example, brands can create a closer-knit community and increase brand loyalty by consistently utilizing repeated motifs or references that are only understood by their devoted followers. Inside humor, when utilized effectively, can boost brand relatability and strengthen the emotional bond between a business and its audience, according to a study by Kim and Song (2021). Memes and inside jokes have proven to be highly effective in promoting user interactions, and engagement is a crucial metric for evaluating the effectiveness of comedy marketing. Memes have a tendency to receive more likes, comments, and shares than traditional marketing content because of their amusing and easily readable character (Calvo-Porral & Levy-Mangin, 2020). Because of their flexibility, brands can react to current events fast, which can increase user engagement because people value timely and relevant content. Humor has a direct impact on user behavior, including loyalty and purchase intents. This is especially true when it comes to memes and inside jokes. According to Calvo-Porral and Levy-Mangin (2020), memes' ability to elicit pleasant emotions raises the probability that users will take an action, such as visiting a website, signing up for a service, or making a purchase. Memes' lighthearted, fun quality lowers the psychological barriers that are sometimes connected to advertising, increasing consumers' receptivity to the brand's message. Similar to this, consumers who get inside jokes feel like they're a part of the brand's continuing story, which encourages recurrent interaction. Russell and Camacho (2020) discovered that companies that often use inside jokes have greater levels of repeat business and customer loyalty because these jokes foster a constant connection between the company and its customers. Metrics of engagement like likes, comments, shares, and views are important ways to measure how well comedy works in social media marketing. Research indicates that across these measures, hilarious material performs better than non-humorous content. Kim and Song (2021) found that funny posts have a higher level of engagement because they make people feel good, which encourages them to connect with the information. Because posting humorous information frequently results in social validation and increases online interaction, humor fosters a sense of community among users. According to a study by Warren et al. (2020), using humor in marketing can also increase virality rates since people are more likely to share funny material, which expands the reach of brand messaging naturally and doesn't require more funding for advertising. Humor has a big impact on how people perceive brands. Humorous brands are frequently viewed as more relatable, approachable, and welcoming. According to Taylor and Costello (2021), hilarious marketing makes firms seem less corporate and more relatable to their target customers. Younger consumers, who choose brands that don't take themselves too seriously, respond well to this. There is a risk, though, since humor can have a detrimental effect on how people perceive a brand if it is misconstrued (Pereira et al., 2022). In order to prevent potential backlash, brands must make sure their comedy is consistent with their fundamental values and target demographic. In addition to influencing user behavior, such as purchase intentions and brand loyalty, humor also has an instant impact on engagement. According to Sundar et al. (2019), humor makes people more likely to perform desired behaviors, such opening links, subscribing to newsletters, or making purchases. Humor elicits a favorable emotional response in users, strengthening their bond with the business and promoting brand loyalty over time. Furthermore, comedy can lessen users' tiredness from advertisements by transforming them from standard ads into enjoyable material that encourages interaction rather than skipping or ignoring them (Calvo-Porral & Levy-Mangin, 2020). This effect is especially strong in the modern era of perpetual information overload for consumers. METHODS This section will provide an overview of the main components of our study approach, which includes the objectives, statement of the problem, selection of research respondents/ participants, materials and instruments, design and procedure, role of the researcher, data analysis method, and ethical consideration. (Objectives) (Statement of the Problem) (Research Respondents) (Materials and Instruments) (Design and Procedure) (Role of the Researcher) (Ethical Consideration) Theoretical Framework: Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) (Petty, Cacioppo, & Schumann, 1983) Explanation: ELM describes how attitudes and persuasion occur through two routes: the central route (cognitive) and the peripheral route (affective). Humor can influence attitudes and persuasion through both routes. Application: Humor marketing strategy can be used to influence attitudes and persuasion through both cognitive and affective routes, leading to increased brand awareness and purchase intention. Conceptual Framework: Independent Variable Dependent Variable Humor Marketing Strategy Effectiveness - Types of humor used Content format - Engagement Metrics Brand Perception User Behavior Variables and Indicators Independent Variable: Humor Marketing Strategy. This variable represents how brands use humor in their social media content. Indicators: Types of Humor: Different styles like Memes or Inside jokes used in the content. Content Format: The medium of delivery, videos, or GIFs. Dependent Variable: Effectiveness. This variable measures how well the humor strategy works in engaging social media users. Indicators: Engagement Metrics: Includes likes, comments, and shares that indicate how users interact with the humorous content. Brand Perception: Assesses brand recall and positive associations with the brand after exposure to humorous content. User Behavior: Tracks actions like follower growth and conversion rates (e.g., clicks, purchases) influenced by humor marketing.
