Friday, February 1, 2013

Get in the Game Early with "Effective Frequency"


The Super Bowl is the nation's day for hoopla and hype. Indeed, Google Search Trends reveals that the hype begins to pick up about two to three weeks before the game.


This is one reason so many Super Bowl advertisers release "teaser commercials" or even game-day commercials during the three weeks just prior to the game.

In advertising, as in any aspect of business, the question always turns to maximizing the investment. Prices have reached the $4 million dollar range for 30-second commercials. This is not to mention production costs for the commercials and related promotional activities.

To maximize this investment, advertisers recognize the notion of "effective frequency." Learning increases with repetition. In advertising, as with any aspect of behavior, repeated exposures are needed for a commercial's message to be fully appreciated.  One exposure to a commercial is generally not enough.

So, by participating in the anticipatory hype, many Super Bowl advertisers are taking advantage of the basic psychology of learning theory. The teaser commercials or early release of game-day commercials place their selling ideas further along on the learning curve with a greater opportunity for impact in the marketplace.

Should advertisers hold off to debut commercials during the big game? Or, should advertisers participate in the pre-game hype with it's social media multiplier?  Learning theory tells us to get in the game early.

For more on the Psychology of Advertising, please see Advertising and the Arc of History.

Copyright © 2013 by John Eighmey. All Rights Reserved.

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