Files
Abstract
This study explored humorous memes’ impact on film marketing, focusing on the Incongruity Theory. It compared different combinations of film types (humor vs. serious) and meme types (non-meme vs. marketing meme vs non-marketing meme), finding the main effects and interaction effect of meme type and film type on the perceived humor of film marketing social media posts. Specifically, integrating humorous memes into serious films enhanced the incongruity through two stages, then it enhanced the audience’s perceived humor of the posts and ultimately promoted their attitude toward the post, willingness to share the post, and intention to purchase film tickets. In the humor film, however, this effect is less profound. The study helped us understand the mechanism of humor in humorous memes and offered insights for devising effective marketing strategies and content in the film industry.