One of the most indisputable truths of marketing is that repetition, also called “frequency”, improves sales.
Frequency is the glue that brands or welds the message in the consumer’s mind. Over time, frequency helps build trust, improves your odds of being front and center close to the time of purchase, and helps make your brand and message more memorable.
Marketing guru, Seth Godin, says “If you promote something twice to one-hundred people it will lead to more sales than if you promote it once to two-hundred people”.
Seth goes on to say, however, “The line between frequency and annoying is thin indeed. At some point, though, the frequency of repetition stops being helpful enthusiasm and starts being selfish.”
Even the most creative and profound messages run their course. Your ads need to be changed at certain intervals to avoid “commercial burnout”. Commercial burnout is described as using the same commercial with such frequency over an extended period of time that audiences literally ignore or become annoyed by it.
Delivering a consistent image or identity over time remains one of the pillars of successful advertising, but you have to deliver that message in meaningful and refreshing ways to avoid burnout.
The length of time you can run the same ad without risking tune out or burnout depends upon three key factors:
1.) How many time periods or different audiences your ads reach.
2.) How many days your campaign runs.
3.) How meaningful or interesting your campaign is.