On using humor to market higher education: at whose expense is the clowning?

Jason Johnson

Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 2010, vol. 20, issue 2, 241-257

Abstract: This essay examines the deliberately humorous approaches undertaken in two recent higher education marketing endeavors: The American Council on Education's ‘Solutions for Our Future’ campaign and Stanford's ‘Hail, Stanford, Hail’ initiative. Three television commercials from each project are described and discussed in light of a view of comedy advanced by philosopher Kenneth Burke. Specifically, this essay identifies among each trio of videos a markedly different ‘clown’ -- a figure at whom the audience is encouraged to laugh yet ultimately redeem. In turn, higher education marketing professionals and leaders are invited to reflect on choices associated with employing humorous messaging strategies.

Date: 2010
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DOI: 10.1080/08841241.2010.526357

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