Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok, Tumblr – the list of social media platforms that brands are expected to compete on is unceasing and the sheer volume of it all is beginning to unnerve marketers. The digital era is a brave new world for companies, agencies, creators, and brand solution entities alike because traditional media buying patterns and advertising strategies have been pushed to the rear corner. What’s taken its place is data-driven marketing that can provide tangible business insights and tech-driven processes. But this hyper-digital scape is not without its perils and brands today risk becoming irrelevant due to digital media fatigue.

What’s Causing Ad Fatigue Among Consumers? 

Audiences today are bombarded with hundreds of advertisements on their screens; on average, at least 25 advertisers try to reach consumers within a single 15-minute session on a social media platform. It is no wonder that adblockers exist! With such incessant outreach and constant targeting of customers, there is a high likelihood that brands will garner little to no engagement. In fact, according to the Advertising Research Foundation, sales of a product start decreasing after an ad has reached the same person 40 times within one month. Basically, the fatigue from being at the receiving end of ads that aren’t even relevant is real, and brands must take notice of this and ask themselves this question – how much is too much?

All too often, the fear of missing out—a largely millennial-oriented pressure that marketers feel—makes brands jump on certain trend bandwagons forcefully. This is a traditional approach that is symbolic of conformism and fear of thinking outside the box. 

Brands have to remember that audiences do not want to see the same ads over and over again, especially while they are steaming, scrolling through the news, or gaming. Overdoing anything can always backfire and this is true for advertising and marketing as well; it could result in consumers getting annoyed at the brand and that creates a negative brand recall.

How Can Brands Break Out Of This Trap?

One of the most powerful ways to step out of this vicious ad cycle is to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies and to understand their audience. Data-driven insights that help to understand people’s true motivations, their emotions, and their value systems can help brands to market better and more effectively.  Forrester, a global research and advisory firm, recently said in their report that automation and machine learning technologies are poised to transform 80 percent of agency jobs by 2030. In fact, several companies like JP Morgan Chase have announced deals that they will be using AI to write more targeted marketing copy. 

Brands solution companies, ad agencies, and companies have to embrace tech as a friend and not a foe because data-driven insights can help personalize advertising and make content more relevant to consumers. It also helps to pivot from a brand-centric model to a more customer-oriented approach. And this newfound customer-first tactic can demonstrate a company’s commitment to the customer and help drive growth more than ever. If brands lose touch with those they aim to cater to, then there is a kind of edificial collapse for a business. 

It’s a whole new game for marketers out there today who aren’t just running standard advertising campaigns a few times a year but instead focusing on effective messaging through multiple channels. With contract periods shortening, budgets getting slashed, and performance metrics becoming more stringent, agency professionals are in for some hard times. However, it is possible to survive and even thrive, one must only master the art of being agile and be willing to adapt to new changes. 

The author is Akshaara Lalwani, Founder and CEO of Communicate India