Ad Fatigue: When Less Really Is More

This newsletter comes from the hosts of The Marketing Architects, a research-first show answering your biggest marketing questions. Find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Remember the ‘rule of seven’ in advertising? This week, we're examining surprising data about ad frequency that's making marketers rethink their approach to exposure. Spoiler alert—less might actually be more. 

—Elena  

36% of brands cite frequency management as a top concern.            

Both agencies and brands increasingly worry about over-exposure, particularly in CTV where programmatic spend forecasts dropped by $1.37B this year due to frequency capping and measurement challenges. 

The real impact of high frequency isn’t what you think.             

TV ads. Social posts. Email campaigns. Display ads. The average person encounters thousands of marketing messages daily. Marketers once believed more exposure automatically meant better results. And conventional wisdom suggested people needed to see an ad three, five, or even seven times to take action. But the data tells a different story. 

1. First exposure wins. The first time someone sees your ad drives the strongest response. Additional exposures show diminishing returns for immediate sales lift. Of course, additional impressions could have positive brand effects and do sometimes make sense.
   
2. Video vs images. Video ads create less fatigue than static ones because they maintain viewer interest through dynamic content. But platforms like CTV can still struggle with frequency management due to media fragmentation.
   
3. Emotion drives retention. Negative ads actually cause less fatigue than positive ones. Our brains pay more attention to negative emotions, keeping viewers engaged even after multiple views.
   
4. Creative quality matters. Strong creative needs less repetition to make an impact. But poor creative shown repeatedly can actively harm your brand.
   
5. Personalization helps. While over-exposure irritates audiences, personalized content reduces ad avoidance. But tread carefully—81% of consumers will unsubscribe from direct channels like email and SMS when a brand sends too many messages.

Listen in on our discussion.

“5 key stats on marketing fatigue on CTV, email, and beyond”    

This eMarketer article breaks down data about ad fatigue across channels, revealing why frequency management matters more now than ever. And it offers clear metrics showing how over-exposure impacts campaign performance. 

Read the article.

The power of first impressions.    

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression." 

— Will Rogers, American actor