Ad fatigue
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In marketing, ad fatigue is the declining effectiveness of similar advertising to consumers due to fatigue leading to poor engagement.[1][2] This wear out may vary between different advertisements due to factors such as the context, portrayal, and audience. [3]
Factors such as the repetition and consistency of targeted ads shown to an individual can also influence when ad fatigue sets in.[4]
Ad fatigue can be delayed through repetition variation.
Consumers are countering ad fatigue through ad blocking.[5]
Habituation
Habituation is a process in which repeated exposure to the same stimulus, such as an advertisement, leads to a decrease in response to that stimulus.[6] Repeated exposure to similar advertisements decreases attention paid to them, making people less likely to engage with them, contributing to ad fatigue. Research has shown that higher exposure to repeated mobile advertisements increases the likelihood that the advertisements are ignored and decreases the person's involvement with the advertisement.[7]
Selective attention
Selective attention refers to the process of people focusing on certain stimuli while ignoring others. By ignoring irrelevant stimuli, people are able to focus on the task at hand.[8] In the context of advertising, selective attention can prevent the distraction of an advertisement from affecting a person's behaviour by allowing them to ignore advertisements. This process reduces the likelihood that similar advertisements will catch people's attention, contributing to ad fatigue.
This reduction in attention has been found in a study, who found that duration of attention significantly reduces when advertisements are repeated.[9] They found that after three advertisements, the number of fixations on them significantly drops. In addition, from the first to the third advertisement exposure, the amount of attention paid to the advertisement reduced by 50%. This research indicates that repetition of advertisements reduces their effectiveness, contributing to ad fatigue.
Psychological reactance
The theory of psychological reactance suggests that if a person's behavioural freedoms are threatened, they will want to regain them.[10] In the context of advertising, repeated exposure to similar advertisements can lead to psychological reactance, as the advertisements may be perceived as a barrier restricting autonomy. This may result in negative responses, such as perceiving the advertisement as intrusive.[11] The increase in exposure to advertisements has been found to increase negative attitudes, as well as increase boredom.[12] It has also been found that Facebook users who perceive a threat to their freedom react by blocking or hiding advertisements.[13] These examples of psychological reactance are associated with ad fatigue, as they promote disengagement.
Mere exposure effect and overexposure
The mere exposure effect suggests that the repeated exposure of a person to a certain stimulus enhances their attitude toward it.[14] In advertising contexts, it has been found that exposure to animated advertisements lead to positive engagement through the mere exposure effect.[15] However, excessive exposure can lead to the opposite occurring, contributing to ad fatigue. Additional exposures can have adverse effects, often referred to as wear-out. Therefore, liking an advertisement increases up to a point and then decreases as repetition continues, creating an inverted U-shape. This inverted U-shape has been found especially for advertisements that are boring and irrelevant.[16]
