Advertising frequency, or the number of times each unique user views an ad, is a critical component in determining the success of a marketing campaign. As frequency increases, so do key benefits such as increased brand awareness, familiarity, trust, resonance, and recall.
The more a unique user views an ad, the more likely the message will be fully viewed, retained, and remembered. Repetitive ad viewing can also push undecided consumers towards making a purchase and reinforce the memories of those who intend to buy.
Effective Reach: The Key to a Successful Campaign
The philosophy is simple, a message that reaches a consumer once is too easily ignored or forgotten, particularly in today’s fast-paced world. To make a lasting impression and win mindshare with consumers, a baseline frequency level must be reached. That’s where the metric of Effective Reach comes into play. Effective Reach measures the audience size (total number or percentage) who are exposed to a baseline frequency level.
According to research in Neuromarketing Principles (Schmidt and Eisend, 2015), the maximum positive response is reached at approximately ten exposures. So, if only 20,000 out of 100,000 viewers saw an ad ten or more times, the Effective Reach of the campaign would be 20,000 or 20%.
It’s also important to understand the difference between Actual Exposures and Psychological Exposures and how they relate. Actual Exposures measure the total number of times a unique viewer was physically exposed to an ad (whether noticed or not), while Psychological Exposures indicate how many of those Actual Exposures were consciously viewed and processed by the viewer.
It’s the total number of true Psychological Exposures that are needed to deliver Effective Reach. Results from Nielsen’s Digital Brand Effect study indicate it takes up to five Actual Exposures to deliver one Psychological Exposure. Given that ten Psychological Exposures are required to attain Effective Reach and all its related benefits, it follows that up to 50 or more Actual Exposures are needed to deliver these goals.
Maximizing Campaign Success with Deployment Tactics
Two critical tactics should be employed to increase the success of a high-frequency campaign.
The first is to rotate creative pieces over time and across locations to prevent ad fatigue. Using multiple creatives can mitigate the risk of ad fatigue and increase the rate at which Actual Exposures become Psychological Exposures.
The second tactic is to use appropriate spacing between exposures or blocks of exposures. Spacing enhances the positive effects of repetition by allowing viewers time to process information and form associations that increase recall.
Key Use Cases for High-Frequency Advertising
High-frequency advertising is crucial for success in several scenarios, including:
- Establishing new brands locally or nationally. It takes repetitive impressions for consumers to start recognizing and understanding a new brand, such as a new restaurant or an infrequently used service.
- Overcoming trust hurdles. Brands in financial services, luxury goods, or home services need to build trust with consumers, and a high-frequency and impactful message is necessary.
- High competition markets. In highly saturated markets, brands must stand out from the competition with a higher frequency level to rise above the noise.
- Targeting ready-to-buy consumers. Greater exposure through high frequency is a convincing tactic for shoppers ready to make a quick purchase in categories such as fast-moving consumer goods, electronics, and retail.
In conclusion, high-frequency advertising is critical for any successful marketing campaign. The ability to increase awareness, familiarity, trust, resonance, and recall among the target audience is unparalleled. By maximizing frequency, advertisers can ensure that their message is received and retained by consumers, ultimately driving desired outcomes such as increased sales and brand loyalty.
At Elevision, we understand the power of high-frequency advertising and are committed to helping our clients achieve their marketing goals through the effective deployment of DOOH advertising campaigns. Our team of experts are ready to work with you to create a campaign that leverages the benefits of high frequency and delivers measurable results.
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you reach your target audience with high-frequency advertising.
