Forget about Ad fatigue and do this instead

I don’t believe in ad fatigue.

I believe in “Seasonal Mismatch.”

Is your ad too serious for summer? Is the benefit you’re highlighting top of mind right now?

Yes, seasonality exists, but so does repositioning.

That said, allow me to try and convince you that it’s not your ads; it’s your audience—they don’t care right now.

I help run a health and wellness brand, and reports have shown that summer shouldn’t be the best time of the year for our category. Operators are advised to reduce spend and focus on preparation for “flu season,” but for some reason, we’ve reached new milestones and getting by just fine.

Even more surprisingly, the ads that didn’t work in Q1 are suddenly scaling

So what’s happening? I have a theory, but first, let’s start by differentiating the two:

Ad Fatigue

It is caused by overexposure and repetition of the same ad to the same audience. This can lead to increased frequency and a decline in the ad’s performance metrics, such as click-through rates (CTR), engagement, and conversions.

Seasonal Mismatch

Refers to a disconnect between an ad’s theme, tone, or message and the current season or context in which it is being shown. Unlike ad fatigue, this issue is not about overexposure but rather about the relevance of the ad content to the audience’s current mindset and needs.

Key Characteristics:

  • Contextual Irrelevance: The ad’s content doesn’t align with the audience’s seasonal preferences or priorities.
  • Misaligned Tone: The ad’s tone or message is inappropriate for the current season, failing to resonate emotionally.
  • Temporal Disconnection: The benefits or features highlighted in the ad are not timely or relevant to what the audience cares about during that season.

Recently, I’ve leaned more and more towards “seasonal mismatch” to better understand our ads. In a world where everyone likes to blame their platforms, category, or time of year (often justifiable) I like to imagine that some adjustments can be made to “keep moving forward.”

So, ask yourself:

Are the benefits or features highlighted in the ad timely and relevant to what my audience cares about right now?

Is my ad’s message or theme appropriate for the current season?

This concept is another reason why brands should invest more in creative diversification. Read About that here

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