College of Business and Economics faculty Anne Hamby and Niusha Jones published an article in The Conversation US, titled “Take laughter, add tears − the secret recipe for the most-liked Super Bowl ads” on Jan. 9, 2024.
An excerpt from the article reads: “Viewers gravitate toward Super Bowl commercials that incorporate both happiness and sadness, our 2023 study shows.
On the other hand, advertisements that blend happiness and fear turn people off.
And people are indifferent to ads that pair happiness with either anger or disgust.
As researchers with extensive experience in consumer behavior, we’ve had the opportunity to delve into the compelling emotional narratives television advertisers try to portray in less than 30 seconds.”