Funny sells.
An executive with the Nielsen consumer information company wrote recently for the NielsenWire blog that humorous ads have worked best, despite a recession.
James Russo, vice president of global consumer insights at Nielsen, said worldwide ad spending totaled $488 billion last year. Of that, $72 billion was spent on U.S. television alone.
He wrote that over the next decade, estimated global consumer spending will exceed $450 trillion.
“With so much at stake and many markets continuing to face tough economic realities, how do advertisers reach and resonate with an increasingly diverse, demanding and connected audience?” Russo asked.
He said Nielsen studied the advertising effectiveness of more than 4,000 ads before, during and after the “Great Recession,” which began in December 2007 and was declared to have ended in June 2009.
“What we wanted to know: to what extent, if any, has the tumultuous economic climate and subsequent attitude shifts impacted consumer responsiveness to various creative tactics?” he asked.
Here’s what he reported:
• Humorous ads have consistently resonated best with viewers, regardless of the economy or year.
• During the recession, there was a notable lift in effectiveness of sentimental and value-oriented ads.
• Ads focused on product features and promotion/price do not resonate with viewers, even during tough economic times.
• The performance of narrative and sentimental ads has improved since 2006.
A chart with the blog showed that funny ads were 47 percent more appealing to consumers than the average ad before the recession and were 33 percent more appealing during and after the recession.