A new study commissioned by the RAB and conducted by creative testing firm ABX reveals that marketing wear-out – the concern that repeated exposure to an ad reduces its effectiveness – is virtually nonexistent in over-the-air radio advertising.
The ABX Index measures performance across four key indicators: clear branding, messaging, call-to-action, and reputation.
To qualify for deeper analysis, ABX identified AM/FM ads that had aired for at least two years and had accrued more than $2 million in national spending. Of these, 43 campaigns met the criteria, and 12 had been tested more than once by ABX. Among those dozen, only two exhibited any measurable drop in performance scores.
Even then, the erosion was marginal and did not impact two of the most important creative metrics: brand clarity and messaging. The findings support a growing body of research suggesting that marketers often tire of ads long before consumers do.
ABX President Gary Getto led the study, which utilized the ABX Index — a composite score evaluating brand clarity, messaging, reputation, and call-to-action. Ads were selected based on long-term market presence and high national spend. Only 43 radio spots met the criteria; of those, just 12 had been tested multiple times, and only two showed measurable decline.
Additional support comes from Analytic Partners, which found that just 14 out of 50,000 tested campaigns showed true wear-out. Creative testing firm System1 reported average ad ratings held steady across multi-year airings, while Kantar saw no correlation between length of airtime and performance.
The RAB’s findings arrive at a time when many advertisers rotate campaigns frequently, often out of internal pressure or the mistaken belief that consumers are tiring of their message. This study presents a compelling argument for rethinking that approach, especially for brands with successful AM/FM campaigns. It also underscores the importance of creative quality and message clarity in ad effectiveness over time.
The study, and its implications, are explored in more detail in the RAB webinar Is Creative Wearout a Thing? featuring ABX President Gary Getto and former P&G marketer John Fix.
To help advertisers craft more effective campaigns from the start, the RAB also recommends the Audio Creative Best Practices Handbook developed by Cumulus Media and Westwood One’s Audio Active Group.
Interesting! Always good to see data backing up hunches. Makes you wonder how much money is wasted on rotating ads too quickly. Maybe sticking with a good thing longer isn’t so bad after all.
A key takeaway from the study is the importance of creative quality and message clarity in ad effectiveness over time. Commercials that engage the listener’s emotions with surprise, shock, humor, relevance, and effective storytelling will continue to deliver better results, not just “wear out.”
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