wearout

Definition:
A phenomenon connected with the scheduling of ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. As long ago as 1912, E.K. STRONG conducted a series of laboratory experiments which suggested an optimum scheduling interval, beyond which forgetting would occur between consecutive INSERTIONS but below which no improvement in recall could be detected. His pioneering work was eventually taken up 44 years later by H.H. Zielske, whose carefully controlled field experiment initiated a whole series of related studies and led eventually to the formulation of the threshold and wearout concepts. It is postulated that no beneficial effect is achieved until a 'threshold' level of advertising pressure, the number of repetitions within a given period. Thereafter, learning is progressive and new behaviour patterns such as search, trial and purchase may result, until a satiation' level is reached beyond which each further exposure produces fewer improvements in response than the previous one. This is the 'wearout' phenomenon. It is easily confused with simple forgetting, but that is a function of the passage of time whereas wearout relates to advertising pressure. The twin concepts are clarified diagrammatically in a thorough review by D.R. Corkindale and J. Newall ('Advertising Thresholds and Wearout', European Journal of Marketing, vol. 12, no. 5, 1978).

Cross-References:
[advertising campaign] [Strong, EK] [insertion]

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