How to Find the Frequency Sweet Spot in Advertising- is it possible?

In marketing, we often emphasize the importance of repetition (frequency). A significant portion of our strategy revolves around determining how many times and how often our ads should impact our audiences. However, the concept of wear-out—a decline in the effectiveness of a message due to overexposure—remains misunderstood by many agencies and clients. As a result, campaign KPIs are often defined without considering critical insights that could lead to better results.

Having worked extensively on both the agency and client sides of media, I can assure you that the traditional approach to frequency recommended by media agencies often falls short. Why? Because it lacks a crucial element: the human factor. Let’s dive into what really matters—human behavior.

The Inverted U: The Relationship Between Frequency and Meaningfulness

Numerous studies have shown that the relationship between frequency and the meaningfulness of a message can be represented as an inverted U. On the ascending part of the curve, we have what researchers call "Semantic Generation," where novelty is at its peak. This is the sweet spot we aim for—when our message feels fresh, engaging, and impactful. However, predictability and overexposure can cause the curve to plateau or even decline, reducing the effectiveness of our campaign.

Applying the Concept to Advertising

At the start of a campaign, leveraging higher frequency often works because of the novelty factor—if the ad content supports it. During this phase, your audience is more likely to engage with the campaign because it’s new and emotionally compelling. However, it’s essential to tread carefully. Overexposure can lead to audience fatigue and trigger another psychological phenomenon worth noting.

The Role of Semantic Satiation

Semantic Satiation is a psychological phenomenon in which repetition causes a word, phrase, or image to lose its meaning. To the audience, the message begins to feel like empty noise. Have you ever found yourself mentally blocking out ads you’ve seen too many times? That’s semantic satiation in action.

On the other hand, there’s a counterpoint to consider: the "Mere Exposure Effect." This phenomenon, first studied by Robert Zajonc in 1968, suggests that people develop a preference for things they’re repeatedly exposed to. Familiarity creates comfort and, ultimately, trust.

Balancing these two concepts is key to crafting an effective advertising strategy.

Science Meets Art: Rethinking Frequency in Advertising

Why are we discussing these psychological principles today? Because frequency in advertising isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding the science of human behavior and pairing it with the art of communication. When setting frequency for a campaign, we need to adopt a macro perspective, taking into account both the data and the emotional impact on our audience.

Instead of relying solely on agency benchmarks, marketers must focus on crafting messages that resonate with their audience at the right time and in the right way. By doing so, we can avoid wear-out and build meaningful, long-lasting connections with our audience.

In advertising, frequency isn’t just a metric—it’s a tool that, when used with precision and creativity, drives results.