In 2022, almost 2 years into the pandemic, the competition between each advertiser is even higher than before. Having a successful spot is getting more and more important, and increasing GRP is not enough anymore. Due to the cut of the marketing budgets and difficulty in filming, the lifespan of existing campaigns has become observable. In the year 2022, the competition for media space will intensify, so it is essential to follow the efficiency of campaigns on a daily basis. Although using the same spot for a long time can save a lot of money for advertisers, it carries a high risk of potential wear-out.

What is an ad wear-out?

Looking at the general meaning, an ad wear-out is when an advertisement becomes boring for the target audience. From our perspective, the first sign of an ad wear-out is when the engagement starts to decline. (To learn more about our engagement curve, check out this article). However, without measurement it is hard to decide whether you are facing a wear-out: advertisers tend to form an opinion too early or too late, and both have their risks for long-term success.

Same platform, same moments

Checking our more than 7000+ measured ads, wear-outs can be seen a couple of times. From simple platforms to overused ad moments, many elements can lead to a lack of interest.

Just look at the following curves from Alza’s Christmas ads: using the same platform over and over again resulted in a declining engagement in the last 3 years.

Another great example is a campaign of a beer brand: using the same ad moments just for a year resulted in the same declining interest.

There is no doubt that a successful platform can bring great numbers in the longer term. From competitor environments to seasonal trends, many things can have an influence on your long-term success. Just like with everything else, ads can be boring after a while if they are not updated regularly. But a single update is not enough: using target group specific ad elements is the key.

Life-curve of an ad

While you may think that a successful ad can be famous from the very beginning, just like everything in life, ads have a life-journey as well. When a new platform is shared, it takes time for the audience to start to develop emotions. After a while it will reach its peak point - the moment when all numbers are the highest. Later, faster or slowlier, like it or not, its popularity will start to decline. But what grabs emotions during this journey?

The importance of storytelling

At the very beginning, usually, the story is the main “element” that catches the attention. With a well-built storyline, you can increase interest, move emotions and transfer messages in a memorable way. A couple of weeks and viewers start to connect those emotions with your brand as well, so your product will be the highlighted spot.

Why is that? When a story creates strong enough emotions, viewers unconsciously start to connect those feelings with the brand. And when it comes to purchasing decisions, those emotions will drive their thoughts. Easy as 123.

Reasonable protagonists

Another element in videos that may strengthen an ad in the long term is the characters of the protagonists. Our neuromarketing research results show us that viewers resonate easier with characters that are similar to them. Also, face mimicry can strongly influence emotional resonation. When a protagonist shows emotions clearly, viewers show empathy. Another great strategy is to have a strong brand ambassador character that can strengthen brand building in the long term.

All in all, characters have a strong effect on emotions, so choosing wisely can only benefit your marketing goals. And as you already know, those emotions are usually connected with the brand during unconscious decisions.

Competitor environment

Never underestimate your competitors and never forget to follow their messages! You can have the best ad possible when everyone around you is sharing the same message, there is a possibility that your campaign wears out much faster. In order to avoid this, a special, audience-fitting tone of voice can help you to stay successful for longer. Try to stay unique and communicate with your target audience accordingly - this will keep you reliable in the longer term.

Monitoring is the key

To sum it up, there are a couple of things that can make your ad more successful. To create an advertisement that is reaching great results you must start from the beginning: a great story, well-chosen characters, and a reliable and unique communication style will benefit you in the long run for sure. The key is to continuously monitor your results and always improve according to the market’s changes. An ad can be used for much longer and more successful if it is always matching the target audience’s needs.

Neuromarketing research can provide you with the data to understand those needs. For further information, let’s talk!

written by Petra Varhelyi

How to avoid an ad wear-out