EFFECT OF HUMOUR IN TELEVISION COMMERCIALS ON BRAND KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS AMONG FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS (DETERGENT) CONSUMERS IN LAGOS

Abstract

Humour is increasingly employed in advertising to capture attention, reduce resistance, and build favourable brand associations. In competitive, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) markets such as Nigeria, where detergent brands compete for loyalty, understanding the role of humour in shaping consumer responses is critical. However, empirical evidence on its effectiveness in African contexts remains limited. This study examines the effect of humour in television commercials on brand knowledge, consumer attitude, and purchase intention among homemakers in Lagos, Nigeria. The research aimed to determine whether humour appeals enhance awareness and attitudes toward a detergent brand and whether these effects extend to actual buying behaviour. Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the study employed a quasi-experimental 1 × 3 factorial design. A total of 384 homemakers, selected from a population of 2.3 million women aged 25–55 in Lagos using Cochran’s formula, participated. Respondents, divided into three groups, were exposed to 60-second humour-based commercials for ELDEE, a fictitious detergent brand created for this study. Data were collected through structured online questionnaires distributed via WhatsApp and analysed using regression. Findings revealed that humour significantly improved brand knowledge (β = 0.596, t = 6.241, p < 0.05) and positively influenced consumer attitudes (β = 1.430, t = 11.651, p < 0.05). However, humour had no significant effect on purchase intention (β = -0.583, t = -1.684, p > 0.05). The study recommends integrating humour with rational, value-driven appeals to convert favourable perceptions into buying behaviour.