Extending a contrast resolution model of humor in television advertising: the role of surprise

Few studies have tested models incorporating cognitive as well as affective mechanisms that help explain different levels of perceived humorousness in advertising (cf. Alden and Hoyer 1993; Speck 1991). In this study, we extend the current literature by hypothesizing relationships between several message characteristics, perceived humor and attitude towards the ad. In an empirical test of an extended contrast-resolution model, surprise is found to be related to substantial amounts of variance in the perception of humor. Surprise is also found to mediate the effects of other antecedent variables such as type of contrast, strength of contrast and extent of imagery evoked by the ad. These findings suggest that surprise is a central driving force determining the humorousness of an advertisement. The implications of the proposed extension of the contrast-resolution model for humor in television advertising are discussed from both theoretic and applied perspectives, and directions for future research are suggested.