Comedic violence in advertising: cultural third-person effects among US, Korean, and Croatian consumers

Abstract

Humour is a popular appeal used in global advertising and with the growing use of comedic violence ads in the U.S., it is a worthwhile endeavour to see whether comedic violence ads by U.S. brands could travel globally. This research conducted three studies in three countries, chosen for their distinctively different cultural tendencies and market potential: the U.S., Korea, and Croatia. Across the studies it was found that (1) individuals in the U.S. used aggressive humour in daily life more than Koreans or Croatians, (2) U.S. had higher perceived humour and ad attitudes towards the comedic violence ad than in Korea or Croatia, and (3) U.S. individuals found the comedic violence ad funnier for themselves than for others in different cultures while Koreans thought the ad was less funny for themselves than for others in different cultures. Croatians did not have response differences between self vs. others. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.