What's So Funny? The Use of Humor in Magazine Advertising in the United States, China, and France

The literature includes extensive research on the role of humor in advertising. Few studies, however, have compared how humor in advertising is used in different countries. Using content analysis, this article compares the use of humor in the United States, China, and France to provide answers and justifications to three questions: Is the frequency of humor in magazine advertising different for each country? Is the use of humor according to the type of product different for each country? Is the use of humor for luxury and personal products different for each country? The authors' findings indicate significant differences in the use of humor among the three countries in terms of: frequency of use, types of products, and luxury versus personal products. The findings have important implications for international advertisers.