Ad fatigue is a familiar concern in the world of advertising. The prevailing wisdom suggests that ads lose their effectiveness over time as audiences grow tired of seeing the same content. However, one of my client’s experiences challenges this notion and provides a strong case for a more nuanced approach.
The client, operating in the home improvement sector, has an ad that continues to be its top-performing lead generator for over two years. Despite concerns about ad fatigue—fears that the ad’s effectiveness might wane due to overexposure—new creative approaches haven’t managed to surpass the performance of this longstanding ad.
Interestingly, despite the ad’s continued performance, the client feels compelled to replace it. In the face of consistent ad success, there’s this lurking feeling of cognitive dissonance fuelled by the client’s expectation that ad fatigue should have taken its toll by now. For this reason, their internal creative team has analysed the ad extensively to try to replicate its success in new iterations. But to date, they have been unable to replicate its effectiveness.
My Hypothesis on Ad Fatigue
This led me to the following hypothesis: Ad fatigue is a concept developed by advertisers to pressure their clients into continuously commissioning new work. I’m kidding—that’s not the hypothesis.
The actual hypothesis is that ad fatigue is only relevant in cases where an ad’s appeal is based on novelty. For example, an ad that is enjoyed for its humour will become less engaging over time as the humour fades with repeated exposure. Similarly, ads with a unique storyline or a surprising twist can lose their impact over time as they become predictable.
But ads that focus primarily on providing information may be immune to the effects of ad fatigue.
Consider the example of a plumbing service ad. If someone encounters this ad repeatedly but doesn’t need a plumber, they may ignore it after a while. However, the moment a plumbing issue arises, the ad’s repeated exposure could actually work in its favor. Familiarity through repetition might enhance recall, making it more likely that the individual will seek out the advertiser when the need arises. More importantly, the value provided by the ad doesn’t decline with repeated exposure. In this case, the prospective customer is likely most interested in the services, prices, availability, and reputation of the plumber. As long as these attributes are effectively communicated, it doesn’t really matter if the headline or the illustrations in the ad feature different elements.
In essence, for ads that deliver straightforward, practical information, their value doesn’t decline with repeated exposure. In fact, repeated exposure could reinforce recall and credibility, rather than provoke boredom or annoyance.
Choose Data Over Dogma
The idea is that ad fatigue is context-specific. However, another important message in this post is that it’s crucial to analyze performance data thoroughly and not feel pressured to make advertising changes based on textbook concepts. Anyone with enough experience in paid media knows that the data often defies conventional wisdom.
Crucially, it is essential to keep questioning and testing our assumptions. By understanding the specific contexts and characteristics of your ads, you can better tailor your strategies to maximize effectiveness and longevity.
