Nothing funny 'bout 'Bingo'

Since its launch a few months ago, the snack from ITC stable, Bingo, has had a good run. Some reports seem to suggest that Pepsi's Frito Lays bore the brunt of Bingo's release in the market, with market share plummeting from 60 to 45%.

The latest Bingo commercial to hit Indian TV screens tries to convey the 'crispy' characteristic of the chip using humour. Sadly the effort results in more of nausea than laughter. Over the years, Brands have tried to use 'humour' in their communiques to catch the attention of the consumer. Humour can put consumers in a positive mood, increasing their liking of the Ad itself and their feeling toward the product or service. Humour can also distract the receiver from counter arguing against the message.

But if not handle well, the humourous communique can fall fat and prove to be totally ineffective. Research shows that,

• Humour may harm recall and comprehension in general
• Humour does not aid in persuasion in general
• Humour does not aid source credibility
• Humour is generally not very effective in bringing about action/sales.

Image : http://www.indiaretailbiz.com