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Crude and Taboo Humour in Television Advertising: An Analysis of Commercials for Consumer Goods

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Taboo Comedy

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Comedy ((PSCOM))

Abstract

This chapter reflects on the uses of humoristic approaches in the specific area of TV advertising, focusing on those that deliberately privilege risky uses of humour as a persuasive strategy. Apart from debating the overall advantages and disadvantages of the use of laughter in ads, the essay specifically analyzes the potential of such commercials for alienating their (primary or secondary) audiences. This often means that taboo references are mitigated and softened with the use of other strategies, so as to make them more acceptable to all the viewers. In conclusion, the analysis of a number of commercials shows how this careful balance is exemplified and achieved.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Porto, Portugal

    Elsa Simões Lucas Freitas

Authors
  1. Elsa Simões Lucas Freitas
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Correspondence to Elsa Simões Lucas Freitas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bologna , Bologna, Italy

    Chiara Bucaria

  2. University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Luca Barra

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Freitas, E.S.L. (2016). Crude and Taboo Humour in Television Advertising: An Analysis of Commercials for Consumer Goods. In: Bucaria, C., Barra, L. (eds) Taboo Comedy. Palgrave Studies in Comedy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59338-2_10

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