Perception, Learning, Forgetting and Repetition

Information Processing

People process even the same information differently and recall the information with varying degrees of accuracy as time passes. Witnesses to an event or accident will frequently report very different tales of what occurred. Two people seeing the same movie will each have a different experience and reaction. This is caused by mental processes that are affected by our interest, motivation and past experiences...no two people are alike in their past experiences, current state of mind or interest.

To make effective ads and to schedule them in an effective manner requires that we understand how people learn information, store information and retrieve information. The three mental processes that people use in processing information they are exposed to are called:

• Perception
• Learning
• Forgetting

These are consecutive mental processes.

Exposure to an ad begins with proximity. Even if the audience is in proximity to the ad they may not notice it. In fact, they may actually read, hear or see the ad but not notice it. We have a great capacity to ignore stimuli of all sorts, subconsciously. However, if something does get our attention, it is not so easy to ignore it by choice.

We receive information through our five senses, usually in the following order of reliance, particularly the first three bullets:

• sight
• sound
• touch
• smell
• taste

The mental process of receiving, assigning meaning and reacting to information is called Perception.

Perception - A mental process whereby we receive information and determine its meaning to us. An individual act.

Gather ——> Filter ——> Selectively Receive ——> Interpret ——> Act (Behave)

The mental process of storing and retrieving information is called Learning. An individual act.

Learning - A mental process whereby we store and retrieve information in a meaningful way.

Retention ——> Integration ——> Recall (retrieve accurately & appropriately)
(over time)

Other important mental process include

• Attitude formation
• Motivation - wants and needs
• Personality

These will be looked at later when we study message formation and shaping behavior.

The mental process of deteriorating ability to recall information easily or accurately over time is called Forgetting.

Forgetting - A mental process whereby we lose the ability to accurately or easily retrieve what we have learned.

Repetition is the key to learning, especially in an ad campaign when you are scheduling message insertions into multiple media in patterns over a timeline. Repetition is frequency, not proximity or insertions. The message must be received to count as a repetition.

You need less repetitions of a message if:

• audience is motivated
• the message is simple
• the product or buying habits are familiar
• it's a hi-involvement purchase

You need more repetitions of a message if

• audience is unmotivated
• the message is complex
• the product or buying habits are unfamiliar
• it's a lo-involvement purchase
• there is high competition
• it's an impulse product

Below are some advertising tips regarding repetition over a time period and how to enhance and generate learning in your target audience.

• Need at least 3 reps for simple, short term learning in 1 -2 weeks max. (does not equal insertions)
• Need 8-12 reps within one or two weeks (month max) for good, long term learning.
• Need about 5 times more insertions to reach the target number of reps. (for example, 15 insertions to get 3 reps)
• After 15 reps little or no additional learning takes place but forgetting is prevented.
• Need less frequent reps to simply prevent forgetting.
  

Repetition and Learning

Forgetting Curve

Flighting - patterned periods of advertising activity

Recall that an advertising campaign is a combination of ads scheduled over a period of time using a combination of media with coordinated schedules for the ad placement in those media to achieve specific progressive objectives. Flighting is the scheduled and patterned periods of advertising activity within the time period of an ad campaign.

The following patterns or flights are commonly used in advertising campaigns.

The amount of activity is measured in:

• Dollars spent
• Repetitions
• Frequency
• Reach
• Number of Insertions