Can your laugh determine if you’re a match? BBC Creative, the BBC’s in-house creative agency, has launched a dating experiment to find out. Love at First Laugh is an unexpected promotion for BBC iPlayer’s comedy collection, exploring whether shared humour could be the secret to sparking real-life connections by matching singles based on what makes them laugh. The experiment uses comic content from BBC iPlayer (and influencers as drawcards) to explore whether shared humour could be the key to connection.
The idea was triggered by academic research by Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies at The University of Kansas, which found that couples who laugh together are more likely to stay together. BBC Creative invited a group of social media personalities with different backgrounds, fields and interests to take part. They watched a selection of comedies from BBC iPlayer, while their reactions were monitored using face tracking technology called the Smile Tracker that recorded and measured their laughter patterns.
Six of the most compatible participants were matched and sent on dates – Mark Ferris, content creator known for his upbeat, positive videos; Ollie King, reality TV personality best known for his appearance on I Kissed a Boy; Katie Budenberg, creator known for her positive and empowering content; Beth Samara, influencer and known for her appearance on I Kissed a Girl; Johnny Morillo, food and fitness content creator; Sophie Noa, creator and influencer known for her fitness and lifestyle content.
The campaign launched ahead of World Laughter Day, Sunday May 4 – celebrating the power of comedy while also drawing attention to BBC iPlayer’s content.
The launch will be supported with a hero film explaining the dating experiment accompanied by a longer-form documentary-style edit which delves deeper into the dates.
Both will be released across BBC social channels, with the extended version available on YouTube. Participants will also be creating their own content about the experience, offering their personal take on chemistry through comedy.
Credits
Agency: BBC Creative
Executive Creative Director: Rasmus Smith
Head of Production: James Wood
Creative Directors: Matt Leach & Jess Oudot
Producers: Holly Marsella & Kate Boddington
Production Manager: Adele Gonzague
Coordinator: Alfie Flynn
Production Assistant: Pearl Adewale
Director: Emily Freda Sharp
Editors: Mark Ferns & Thomas Oliver Walker
Designers: Amy Fullalove, Janina Petrylaite, Savannah Morgan, Clive Collier, Graham Joy & Craig Dolan-Napper
Head of Design: Tanya Holbrook
Research & Development: Robert Dawes
Marketing Manager: Charlie Akeroyd, Georgie Ephgrave & Josie Duggan
Coordinator: Narveer Toor
Project Manager: April Forsyth
Sound Engineer: Rashid Ariori
