Researchers at Ohio State University and the University of Pennsylvania studied adults aged 18 to 34 watching a series of news clips, some of which ended in jokes and some did not. The researchers used fMRI technology to observe how much information was retained from the clips and asked participants how likely they were to share the news clips with other people.

They found that when news about politics and government policy was presented with a humorous tone, participants were likely to share the information online and more likely to remember it. "This is significant because entertainment-based media has become an important source of political news, especially for young adults. Our results suggest that humor can increase knowledge about politics,” says Dr. Jason Coronel, lead author and assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University.

Gen Yers and Zers consume news in quite different ways compared to older generationsThe Creative Exchange (2020)

Gen Yers and Zers consume news in quite different ways compared to older generations. They’re more likely to go on social media to access information, for example, with 48% of 18- to 29-year-old Americans saying social media is their most common way to get political or election news. But research shows that getting news from social media can lead to a less engaged and knowledgeable audience.

Given that the social nature of humor is made for sharing, there are opportunities to capture the attention of young audience members through engaging yet educational news posts on social media. Buzzfeed is one brand tapping into this; during the 2020 US election cycle, it hired Gen Zers to create news content on TikTok and Instagram.

Luana Sambell is a behavioural analyst on the Cultural Intelligence team at Canvas8. With an MSc in consumer behaviour, she’s interested in how pop- and sub-cultures shape people’s preferences, judgements, and decision-making. Outside of work, you can usually find her cycling around London looking for dumplings or natural wine.