Effective Reach and Frequency: Does it really make sense?

Questions the evidence for `effective frequency' as a universally applicable approach to media scheduling.

Effective reach and frequency: does it really make sense?

Hugh M Cannon and Edward A Riordan

Turk (1988) attributes the concept of 'effective reach', or 'effective frequency', to Alvin Achenbaum's (1977) notion of 'effective exposure'. Sissors and Bumba (1993) trace the concept back even further to Brown, Lessler and Weilbacher (1957), suggesting that there is 'a theoretical number of impressions required to convert each individual prospect into a purchaser'. In 1979, Naples' book on 'effective frequency' was published and became a standard work in media theory. Since that time, the concepts have become advertising industry doctrine. For instance,...

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