The 12 Week Rule-Know When to Expect Results from Your Media Buy

Thanks to the movie Swingers, most people know about the 3 Day Rule – when you meet someone you like, wait 3 days before calling them. Unfortunately, few people understand the 12 Week Rule in advertising – after launching a new campaign, wait at least 12 weeks before appraising its sway.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing I’d like more than to promise my clients immediate results. I’m as instant gratification oriented as anybody, but I DON’T. Because the truth is it takes time for a message to penetrate the market and change consumers’ buying habits.

So a week, even two just isn’t going to cut it. You’re buying impressions, and impressions take time. In fact, the average consumer has to experience your ad at least 20 times for it to make any kind of impact. Typically, that happens after about 12 weeks. Then and only then will you start to see a difference in your profit margin. Then and only then will you be able to start evaluating the worth of the buy.

So be wary of any media buyer promising instant results. What they’re really offering is immediate padding for their own pocket books, not your company cash box.

Jaci Russo – Senior Partner
The Russo Group