Frequency (marketing)

Marketing
Key concepts
Promotional content
Promotional media
Research

In marketing and advertising, frequency refers to the number of times a target audience is exposed to a particular message or advertisement within a given time frame.[1] This concept is a fundamental element of marketing communication strategies, aiming to enhance brand recall, create awareness, and influence consumer behavior through repeated exposure.

From an audience perspective, Philip H. Dougherty says frequency can be interpreted as "how often consumers must see it before they can readily recall it and how many times it must be seen before attitudes are altered."[2]

For a business, increased frequency is generally desirable.[3] Some studies have shown that audiences respond more favorably from repeated exposures to advertisements (i.e., increased frequency).[4] Moreover, to maximize return on ad spend, some research suggests the repeat of exposures should be spread out (once-a-week) versus multiple times in a short-time period (multiple times in a day), in order not to overwhelm the target audience.[5]

  1. ^ "Frequency | Universal Marketing Dictionary". 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  2. ^ Dougherty, Philip H. (1976-06-22). "Advertising: On Frequency and Effectiveness". The New York Times. p. 70. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  3. ^ Kerin, Roger A.; Hartley, Steven W. (2020). Marketing - The Core (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Education. ISBN 978-1-260-71145-5. LCCN 2018048487.
  4. ^ Lane, Vicki R. (2000). "The Impact of Ad Repetition and Ad Content on Consumer Perceptions of Incongruent Extensions". Journal of Marketing. 64 (2): 80–91. doi:10.1509/jmkg.64.2.80.17996. ISSN 0022-2429. JSTOR 3203444. OCLC 9984264531. S2CID 168121115 – via JSTOR.
  5. ^ Salz, Peggy Anne. "New Research Reveals The Sweet Spot For CPG Ad Frequency". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-01-30.