Americans love American football as much as they love to laugh, and advertisers have noticed. When millions of Americans tune in for the Super Bowl every year, they’re excited to see which team will win and are looking forward to a good halftime show, but the interjections of multiple bite-sized ads are often what truly keeps viewers tuned in, and this is usually because of the promise of a good laugh.
Brands understand the power of the Super Bowl’s audience, which is why they compete for commercial slots every year. This year, each ad slot came with a staggering $8 million price tag, pushing total ad spending to an expected billion-dollar milestone.
Since 1967, the Super Bowl has become a cultural sensation that has come to represent the height of American sports, entertainment and consumerism. But why do funny commercials stick with consumers the most? What makes us remember a Morgan Freeman-featured Homes.com ad compared to a purely informercial-inspired one?
Laughter Taps Into Emotional Anchors
Humor is a psychological facet that advertisers use to build on the implicit impressions of consumers and ultimately expand on generational brand loyalty. A study published in the Journal of Consumer Behavior examined how humor can increase the persuasive influence of two-sided advertising. The study found that by making customers laugh, brands can create a positive surprise effect that can persuade consumers to want to buy a product The study also suggests that aligning humor with the product (humor-product fit) can increase the chances of consumers buying the product. During the Super Bowl, when viewers are already mentally primed for entertainment, this effect becomes even more prominent.
Humor In Super Bowl Ads Can Be A Substitute For Politics
According to experts, in politically charged climates, advertisers prefer to play it safe by focusing on humor, nostalgia and celebrity appearances, which keeps things fairly neutral. In a University of Nebraska study evaluating Super Bowl commercials from 2005, 2007 and 2009, researchers found a significant increase in the use of humor over the years. This explains why brands like Doritos and Budweiser routinely rely on lighthearted content during sports’ biggest night to connect with their target customers. By making audiences laugh, they reduce skepticism and create a more favorable perception of their brands. Other studies are less inclined to quickly accept the idea that a funny Super Bowl slot guarantees good business. Instead, research published in the Journal of Advertising suggests that humor on its own is a powerful tool but not a guarantee.
Why Humor Will Continue to Dominate Super Bowl Ads
In the past, some ads have risked getting backlash for being inappropriate or for overshadowing the brand. This is true for high-involvement consumers, who can sometimes see humor as a distraction. But despite its risks, the ability to make people laugh usually translates to numbers and remains the winning formula for Super Bowl advertisers because of its unmatched ability to drive engagement, recall and build positive brand associations. At Super Bowl LIX, brands have once again bet big on making audiences laugh. And if history is any indicator, the funniest ads won’t just earn a big payday but a spot in the cultural zeitgeist.