Key findings:
- 64% of the UK agreed that they were more likely to remember an advert if they found it funny.
- 18-34s reported finding sarcasm and irony the most amusing type of comedy in advertising (40%), whilst over 35s preferred situational humour.
- Funny music and sound effects were the least popular type of humour with only 13% enjoying it.
- Gambling, alcohol and healthcare were the industries deemed most inappropriate for using comedy.
- Over 75s were the most likely to feel that humour is inappropriate when advertising a taboo subject.
The nationally representative poll was commissioned by the IPA among a sample of 2,000 UK adults in employment and was undertaken by Opinium in February 2024. The full data is available on request by contacting insight@ipa.co.uk.