The joint impact of humor and argument strength in a print advertising context: A case for weaker arguments

Humor is used extensively in advertising, but with mixed results. Drawing o n the heuristic systematic model of persuasion, the authors explore a conti ngency underlying the impact of humorous executions on ad and brand attitud es for a convenience good. Results of a laboratory experiment with print ad s show that the presence (vs. absence) of incidental humor can interact wit h message characteristics such that humorous ads engender more positive att itudes when they employ weaker arguments, and less positive attitudes when they use stronger arguments. (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.