Article
The Place of Humor in Public Communication
A comparative case study that combines an approach from digital methods with interpretive analysis in order to reflect on the strategic uses of meme humor in public communication.
A comparative case study that combines an approach from digital methods with interpretive analysis in order to reflect on the strategic uses of meme humor in public communication.
Humor has been used by public institutions to communicate with the public on digital platforms, especially through memes. Pieces with extravagant images and relaxed language aim to draw attention to serious topics, such as financial education or taxation of imports. Despite the success in engagement and visibility, these strategies face criticism for being considered superficial or inappropriate. Such resistance reveals a historical prejudice against the comic in the public sphere. However, digital humor, such as memes and GIFs, operates with a global language and high communicative effectiveness. The study proposes to investigate the use of these resources by the Central Bank of Brazil on Instagram, assessing their legitimacy, limits and advantages. The article is anchored in a comparative case study that combines an approach from digital methods with interpretive analysis in order to reflect on the strategic uses of meme humor in public communication. The findings support the communicative effectiveness of the humorous genre, although, naturally, its use must be accompanied by a critical eye and care regarding adequacy and acceptability by the general public.
Authors: Viktor Chagas e Karen de Paula Santos
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CHAGAS, V.; SANTOS, K. de P. O lugar do humor na comunicação pública. Revista de Administração Pública (RAP), Rio de Janeiro, v. 60, e2025-0333, 2026.