Bite-size: The more we see something, the more we tend to like it. This is the Mere Exposure Effect—a well-documented psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus increases our preference for it. First introduced by social psychologist Robert Zajonc in the 1960s, the idea is simple but powerful: familiarity breeds favorability, even without conscious awareness or evaluation.
For marketers, this principle is more than theory. It’s a quiet force behind brand preference, purchase intent, and customer loyalty.
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Why It Matters in Marketing
In a world flooded with choices, people don’t stop to carefully weigh every option. They default to what feels familiar—what’s easy to recall, process, or recognize. That’s why repeated exposure works. It makes brands feel safe, trustworthy, even likable.
And yet, many marketers resist repetition. They worry that their message will get stale. That people will get bored. But the truth is: if you’re tired of your campaign, your audience is probably just starting to notice it.
Sticking with a message—visually, verbally, emotionally—is how brands move from awareness to preference. Repetition doesn’t kill creativity. It reinforces it.
Example: GEICO vs. Quibi
Consider GEICO, the insurance giant that’s spent years investing in offbeat, humorous campaigns featuring everything from geckos to cavemen. The ads don’t explain policies or push rational selling points. But they do make GEICO familiar. And that familiarity makes it top-of-mind when it’s finally time to shop for insurance.
Now contrast that with Quibi, the short-form video platform that launched with a $1.75 billion war chest and fizzled in less than a year. Despite the star-studded content and media buzz, the product was too unfamiliar—and the exposure window too short—for people to build any kind of meaningful connection.
Same with new logos, new taglines, new campaigns launched in quick succession. When you change the message too often, you reset the exposure clock before anything has a chance to stick.
So What?
We live in a world where attention is fragmented, fleeting, and increasingly expensive to earn. Consumers are bombarded with content, ads, and choices—scrolling past thousands of messages a day, barely registering most.
In that environment, clarity isn’t enough. Consistency isn’t enough. You need repetition.
The Mere Exposure Effect reminds us that people often choose what they recognize—not what they’ve scrutinized. It’s why reach and frequency still matter. Why sticking with the same message, visual system, or audio cue over time isn’t boring—it’s brand building.