Version 2 2023-03-10, 10:50Version 2 2023-03-10, 10:50
Version 1 2023-03-10, 09:58Version 1 2023-03-10, 09:58
thesis
posted on 2023-03-10, 10:50authored bySzymańska-Waczyńska, Beata
Humour and celebrity endorsements are popular tools used in advertising to evoke emotions in advertising around the world. However, these tools have only recently been used in Polish advertising campaigns. This change occurred after the fall of Communism in 1989. Prior to that for over forty years bank advertising was rare and provided only by Government agencies (Alozie, 2011). Now virtually all bank advertisements in Poland include humour and/or celebrities. However, due to the lack of research in humour and celebrity endorsements from a Polish perspective and of Polish Bank TV advertising there are gaps in knowledge. This thesis makes theoretical, methodological and practical contributions to knowledge by adding to our understanding of the different humour types and celebrity attributes depicted and preferred in Polish Bank TV advertisements. The theoretical contribution includes, firstly, the Product Colour Matrix (PCM) for main banking products and services in Poland. Secondly, an attitudinal model of Polish TV banking advertisements using humour and celebrities. Thirdly, the typology of the main and detailed types of humour in banking advertisements. And fourthly, humour types and celebrity attributes preferences models. Methodological contributions include a specific philosophical framework and research design to scientifically investigate humour types and celebrity attributes preferences dependent on the specific banking product and the age group. Practical contributions encompass, firstly, humour types and celebrity attributes preferences models. Secondly, a product/humour type preferences and product/celebrity attributes preferences typology for banking products.
A deep understanding of the phenomenon of humour and celebrity endorsement in advertising required a mixed methods approach using interpretivism is the underlying philosophy with the qualitative research dominant. The mixed method form was concurrent Qual/Quant with the data from the survey being the confirmatory element. Open ended questions in the survey, focus groups and depth interviews provided extensive narratives which revealed participants’ attitudes toward humorous campaigns and led to the product/humour type and product/celebrity attributes preferences typologies presented as two models. These models can be useful as a guideline for the advertising industry. Academically, the outcome will help to close the knowledge gaps and will serve as a guideline for further empirical studies.
The key findings demonstrated that not all humour types and celebrity attributes are relevant for particular products and different generations. The findings suggest different generations different life experiences and the advertising industry must appeal appropriately to each (if they are the target market). Therefore, different humour types and celebrity attributes should be tailored to the type of the banking product and the age group.