Guiding Blockchain Marketing Efforts with the ‘Marketing Rule of 7’

The marketing rule of seven originates from a survey issued by the movie industry in the 1930s. They concluded that the average moviegoer had to see a movie advertisement at least seven times before going to see the film itself. The rule has since been adopted by the general marketing sphere and still circulates today, almost 90 years after King Kong first pounded his chest on the silver screen.

This adopted ‘Marketing Rule of 7’ simply states that a potential consumer, crypto or otherwise, needs to be exposed to advertising no less than seven times before making a decision to buy the product or service advertised. Each time a customer sees an advertisement is called an ‘impression’ and this can be delivered via a myriad of channels including social media, TV, podcast, YouTube videos, commercials, banner advertisement, and content marketing. 

So why did such an old school rule stick around?

Much like the 1931 movie villain Dracula, this almost 100-year old rule seems almost immortal. I guess the most intuitive answer is that it’s because it simply makes sense: after seeing a brand or product several times, it is more likely to be at the forefront of your mind. The perceived familiarity with the company and product seen or heard multiple times could also help convince the consumer or client to finally make the spending decision. 

More importantly, does the rule hold true?

Well both yes and no. I have found no modern study to confirm that 7 is some sort of magical number when it comes to ad exposure. However, there is evidence that repeated exposure to advertisements is important in marketing. According to an 2017 American survey of 1,030 consumers, advertisements influence the purchase decision of 90% of consumers. Impressions also play an important role in the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey.

So, should the Marketing Rule of 7 be gone with the wind? 1930s movie puns aside, this piece of evergreen wisdom could be useful if you need a simple rule of thumb when planning your marketing efforts and might, at the very least, give you a nudge in the right direction. 

However, if you like a more scientific strategy, I would urge you to seek out more recent studies or leave it to your trusted cryptocurrency marketing agency to help you on your road to success. To end this post on theme, in the words of Dr. Septimus from the 1935 movie Bride of Frankenstein — you are wise in your generation.