The Perils of Using Self-Deprecating Humor in Service Recovery Communication: Customer Evaluations of the Firm

While the use of self-deprecating humor has garnered increasing attention in marketing, limited research considers its efficacy as a tool in service recovery communication. In this study, we assess the potential harm of self-deprecating humor to consumer responses in the context of service failure and describe the mechanism explaining this relationship, as well as a boundary condition that exacerbates this effect. Through two studies of service recovery communications, we show that self-deprecating humor can result in feelings of consumer discomfort, reducing forgiveness and revisit intentions. Moreover, when the humorous message is perceived as less benign, this effect is enhanced due to feelings of discomfort.