ESPN The Walt Disney
Video research in media shows the effect of humour for ESPN.
Case Information
This case shows that general campaign metrics aren’t enough to understand why humour works or falls flat. By automatically asking follow-up questions on open responses, you find out straight away why a creative element works, so you can sharpen campaigns effectively before they go live.
The Question
What was going on at ESPN?
As a leading sports platform, ESPN brings millions of sports fans together around live matches and competitions. For the start of the new football season, ESPN developed a dynamic video campaign with several humorous elements. Standard video metrics show whether a video is watched, but rarely explain how specific jokes land with the audience. How do you make sure humour strengthens the campaign and doesn’t overshadow the message? With targeted video research in media, you can map the real impact of creative devices.
The Challenge
The balance between humour and engagement.
Humour is highly subjective and needs a perfect balance of timing and recognisability. As soon as a joke is unclear or scenes are too busy, viewers lose interest or misread the message. ESPN wanted to find out whether the humorous approach of the season video increased engagement or distracted from the start of the season.
The Approach
How BlauwTalk added depth to video research in media.
Alongside the standard KPI measurements for video creative, we used BlauwTalk as an AI interview module among respondents. The tool automatically asked follow-up questions about how viewers experienced the humour, whether they recognised specific scenes and the effect on the overall advertising message.
“Humor is an important part of how we at ESPN aim to engage and entertain (new) fans. That’s exactly why we wanted to understand not just whether the commercial was well received, but more importantly, why certain scenes worked or didn’t. The deeper insights provided by Blauw gave us concrete takeaways that allowed us to further refine the creative before launch.”
The Result
A sharp divide in how humour was experienced.
The AI conversations showed that 46% appreciated the humour or felt it strengthened the video. At the same time, 21% didn’t find the scenes funny or missed the joke completely, and 5% found the video too chaotic. As a result, ESPN knew exactly which scenes worked and where the timing or busyness needed adjusting to get the campaign message across clearly.
Impact of the Result
How the insight led to action.
Give your joke room to breathe.
Build in visual calm so viewers don’t miss the punchline. Test humour separately from the campaign message, and use targeted follow-up questions to see straight away whether a creative device strengthens or overshadows your proposition.
Depth at Scale.
By asking respondents follow-up questions about their experience, you gather qualitative insights from a large group of viewers.
Related cases.
What does an AI interview add to standard video research?
An AI interview module asks automated follow-up questions on open answers, so you find out straight away why viewers find something funny, confusing or chaotic, without lengthy qualitative projects.
How did viewers respond to the humour in the ESPN video test?
The research showed that 46% felt the humour strengthened the video, while 21% missed the joke or didn’t find it funny and 5% called the video too chaotic.
Why do advertisers test humour in video campaigns?
You find out in advance whether jokes strengthen or drown out the brand message, so you can sharpen editing and timing before launch.
Do you know why your campaign works?
We help you go beyond the numbers. Discover how research before going live can reveal what truly resonates with your target audience.
