Weight loss and wellness by Dr. Anil Maheshwari, MD - using humor to inspire people towards healthy living and happiness.

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Should health messages be funny?

Here’s what we need more of - #funny #healthpromotion messages!

In a review published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health this month, researchers found that humor can be effective in influencing people’s behaviour regarding important #publichealth issues.

I don't know about you, but I’m not at all surprised by it and I’m sure most people would agree that if a message is non-offensive and funny, it can only help it resonate with more people.

If #humor works in commercials (I'm thinking specifically about Where's the Beef?), why wouldn’t it help with messaging about cancer self-examinations, drinking in moderation or maybe even getting the COVID vaccine?

What do you think? Would you prefer serious messages only or would you rather see messages with some humor?

If you want to see an example of one of these effective campaigns, “Avoid the Stork” is an excellent one:
https://marketingsocialimpact.com/portfolio/iowa-couples-avoid-the-stork-until-ready/