Exploring the effectiveness of different types of humour in road safety advertising campaigns

Recently, in Australia, road safety advertising campaigns reflect an increased reliance upon messages that incorporate positive emotions including humour. Evidence, however, is lacking regarding the extent to which different types of humour are associated with persuasive (or dissuasive) effects. This study, based on an in-depth qualitative investigation with N = 18 licensed drivers, addressed this gap by exploring the effectiveness of different types of humour. The findings revealed that humour that was clever, incorporated something unexpected and contrasting with the everyday, was a preferred and relevant approach, thus aligning with humour types, such as comic wit and satire.