Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

How Often Do You Run The Same Print Ad?

Posted by Anonymous on 10/27/2006 at 10:45 AM ET 250 Points
Is there any research that says how often to run the exact same print ad in a monthly publication? Should we run the same ad for 3 months, and then switch to a new ad after 3 months? Or alternate a series of 3 ads over 9 months? Or just run the same ad for 9 months?

Our product is a clinical research database for physicians and we are running ads in medical journals.
To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Stephen Denny on 10/27/2006 at 11:11 AM Accepted
    If you're running in a monthly, three insertions to the same audience may be getting close to burn-out. If you've signed up to create a series of ads -- same creative architecture, but each hitting a different selling proposition or problem solved -- then rotating through them may make more sense: A, B, C, A, B, C for six months.

    The research I've seen on this subject is probably available on the web somewhere -- I came across it when I took the Media School seminar many years ago! -- and it showed a correllation between exposures and burn-out, which if I recall correctly was upwards of 8 exposures before the fall-off. In your case, you probably won't have that kind of problem unless your publication has a very long shelf-life and/or it passes hand to hand quite a bit.

    In either case, the above is where I'd steer you if I was advising...

    Good luck!
  • Posted on 10/27/2006 at 11:12 AM Member
    It depends upon the message and your goals. The typical rule of thumb is to run an ad at least for 3 months. In your case, I wouldn't change your ad just to change it. There should be a reason for changing it. Are you tracking the ads effectiveness? If you do this you can start to see a trend when the ad begins to be less effective. If you see this trend it's time to run a new ad that will get attention.
  • Posted by adammjw on 10/27/2006 at 11:35 AM Member
    If your main objective is to build awareness and confidence in your offering then change nothing and be consistent in your ad campaigns. Help your audience build confidence in your products. I do not really believe you can gain more by changing your ad every 3 months.
    Try to be same place with your ad for as ,long as you can afford, but do not fail to check how well it works for you.

    Adam
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 10/27/2006 at 12:25 PM Accepted
    Repetition is Good, I have heard that an ad needs to be seen, and it suggested that 3-4 repetitions gets the awareness to a high enough level that someone is likely to act upon it.

    I ran my own (un scientific) research as follows:
    I ran the same ad for a client for 6 weeks in a row, left it for 6 weeks then repeated it for 3 weeks.
    During the initial 6 week period, footfall increased significantly after the 5th and 6th week.

    During the 3 week execution, no increase in 'normal' footfall was experienced.

    I dare say that if I followed it up for a longer spell, footfall would increase then start to decrease as lethargy takes over (I guess we have all seen TV ads for furniture stores that promised saving and low prices, then run then 52 weeks a year, so you think "what the hell, they always have a good deal" and it doesn't spurn you to buy now!).

    I hope that this helps.

    Good Luck
  • Posted by mop on 10/28/2006 at 12:27 AM Member
    I change ads monthly. I know it is way beyond the norm, but it works for my clients. The basic sell is always the same The layouts are the same, the thrust is the same. But the body copy and photo change with each ad. Readers have begun to look for these ads. There are conversations about this month's ads. Readers call the companies and tell them what they think of "this month's ad."

    I think saying the same thing, but in different words can be very powerful. Using different photos to illustrate the same emotion make it more memorable. Absolute Vodka is a perfect example.
  • Posted by kannanveeraiah on 10/28/2006 at 7:26 AM Member
    Dear,

    Just as a reader yourself, Do you go through in detail every ad (or a particular ad) when it is repeated in any magazine ? Your answer is obvious.

    We don't even glance at the Hoardings that we have seen for a couple of times at a same location though when we pass through it, we know that the particular hoarding is out there still.

    May be you could still draw some conclusions from the TV Ad research paper that you studied. We do change channels when we find the repition of ads. When this is so for those ads of few seconds what would be of those that are going to be in print media for longer period.

    Most of the ads if they are appealing would catch the attention of the reader within three insertions. Beyond that it may not be so effective.

    I prefer dynamism and vibrancy in ads and detest monotony. A well done up Ad would catch the attention and would reach its ultimate audience within the 2 or 3 publication itself. The 3 or 4th publication would be having reminder effect.

    So, you may need to change the ad after every 3 or 4 insertions in a magazine.

    Best Wishes,

    kannan

  • Posted by darcy.moen on 10/29/2006 at 3:01 AM Member
    You should be tracking your ad results. How many calls does the ad generate? How much in sales does the ad generate? Record the results and keep them in a book.

    Then, develop a new ad and place it in a new publication, or the same one. Record the calls generated and number of sales made...then compare results to the the 'control' ad. Is it producing more sales, more inquiries, both?

    If the ad generates better results, switch to the new ad and make it the new control ad. Repeat the cycle.

    Never change a working ad for change sake. You may be making changes that kill the effectiveness of the ad. Always change an ad when you find one that works better. Change for the better is the start of the cycle of continuous improvement.

    Darcy Moen
    Customer Loyalty Network
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 10/29/2006 at 10:54 AM Member
    I have always found it takes at least 3 for some ads to be noticed....
  • Posted on 11/1/2006 at 10:53 PM Member
    I don't do much work in the printed world but my marketing mentor who has worked with 100 of the fortune 500 once to told me:

    Aim for familiarity and be consistent with your value proposition but deliver a fresh message.

    Maybe one month build value proposition A using numbers and evidence... and in month 2 focus on building value proposition A using a testimonial/case study... and in month 3...

    If you do find some research, I'd love to read up on it so pls let us know.

    PS: Go to www.ponderpearls.com , enter "melvin" as the gift code and download a free copy of Ponder Pearls. It's the world's first thought-of-the-day software. It'll be my Christmas gift to you.

    ~ mel

    Melvin Ram
    Volcanic Marketing
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Advertising/PR)