The Rule of 7: Does it still apply?

Rule of 7

If you Google Marketing Rule of 7, this is the AI definition:

The marketing rule of 7 is a principle that states that a potential customer needs to see a brand's marketing message at least seven times before they will make a purchase. 

What I learned in doing some research for this blog is that the 'rule of 7' originated in 1930s Hollywood where movie goers would need to see a promo poster at least 7 times before purchasing tickets for any particular motion picture.

There are a couple of things to note here:

• There were literally only 3 types of media to use for promotional purposes:

  • Radio

  • Print (Newspapers, Magazines, Posters and Flyers)

  • Movie Reels

• Movies were the only other form of entertainment other than radio, live performance shows, and reading,

• A movie cost between 25 and 50 cents. ($0.25 in 1939 = $5.48 in 2024)

  • Not sure anyone can see a first run movie for $6 today

• The cost for live entertainment ranged between $1.10 and $2.20. ($24 to $48 today)

  • Still not a bad price, but after the great depression, it wasn't pocket change either.

    
    

Considering that in the 30s there was a captive audience with few entertainment options, 7 touches seems a bit much, but apparently that's what it took.

There are many in marketing today who question whether the rule of 7 still applies. Until composing this post, it had been my mantra, but that research I mentioned has me rethinking things a bit.

Fast Forward 90 Years

Today there are countless media outlets to use for promotional purposes, and one, broadcast television, that came into being after the 1930s and has already become obsolete by some standards.

Consider these:

• Radio: (Broadcast, Streaming, & Satellite)

• Print: (Newspaper, Magazines, Posters, Flyers/ Postcards, & Roadside billboards)

• Television: (Broadcast, Cable, & Streaming)

• Digital: (Websites, & Digital Display / Impression Advertising)

• Social Media: (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, & Nextdoor)

Now consider how not captive your audience is and how distracted it is by all the white noise created from this list.

Consumers are inundated with information literally every second of the day -- mostly through their cell phones. 10% of the subjects in this NIH sleep study take their phones to bed and leave them turned on. 7 touches may not be enough unless you find a way to stand out among the thousands of others (competitors and non-competitors) who are vying for your target audience's attention.

To add to the customer engagement challenge, these various media appeal to different segments of the population, so it's important to know the media consuming habits of your target audience.

Here are some stats from Sprout Social:

Age: Younger people are more likely to use social media, but the gap between age groups is narrowing. For example, 88% of 18–29 year olds use social media, compared to 80% of 30–49 year olds and 65% of 50–64 year olds.  

Platforms: Different age groups prefer different platforms: 

•  18–29: YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat are popular  

• 30–49: YouTube and Facebook are popular 

•  50–64: YouTube and Facebook are popular, but engagement with newer platforms is lower 

Content: Younger people tend to prefer non-linear forms of news and entertainment.  (on-demand vs. scheduled entertainment, graphic vs. textual news and information)

TV: Adults who haven't grown up with the internet or other digital channels tend to consume the most TV. Boomers, born before 1965 are especially likely to watch traditional TV. 

Social media trust: Young people don't trust some social media platforms, especially Twitter. They consider Twitter to be a source of misinformation, and many also say it's bad for mental health. 

I'm going to refine my mantra a bit and say that the rule of 7 if applied with great efficiency still has merit. The first step is to define your audience so that the 7 touches actually touch who they're supposed to.

We'll talk about target audience next, but thanks to Adobe Express here are some things to think about in the meantime

1. Demographics: Age, gender, location, education

2. Psychographics: Interests and values 

3. Purchasing behaviors: Income, spending habits, and how they make purchases

4. Lifestyle characteristics: Travel, likes and dislikes, and media consumption habits 

5. Product fit: What problem your product solves for your target audience 

6. Competition: What your competitors are targeting