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Why are many commercials shown over and over

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January 10, 2026, 10:50 AM
ZSMICHAEL
Why are many commercials shown over and over
Is this a matter of money? Some belief that showing the same commercials over and over leads to people buying the product? Even clever commercials get old very quickly.
January 10, 2026, 11:07 AM
konata88
I get that commercials pay for content. However, I don't think I've ever been influenced to buy any product because of a commercial.

To me, I wonder why commercials even exist since they, in my perspective, have such poor ROI. That included half time ads. Never in my life have I bought a bud.




"Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it." L.Tolstoy
"A government is just a body of people, usually, notably, ungoverned." Shepherd Book
January 10, 2026, 11:17 AM
Black92LX
^^^^^^^^^^^
You don’t think but that does not mean it does not happen without you knowing.
Simple brand recognition goes along way. While very few commercials make you say, Hot Damn I need that.
When buying products you are more likely to purchase something you are familiar with.
So if you are constantly blasted with a product you some what become familiar with it so in many instances you are more likely to buy it. Does not always happen that way but enough for companies to spend millions+ on advertising.

Same reason liberals repeat lies over and over again.


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January 10, 2026, 11:25 AM
Tonydec
Not sure if it applies to all commercials, but my wife had experience with it at one of her prior jobs.

They had purchased a "package." They were guaranteed at least "x" showings. If there was any ad time that was not purchased by others, they would get their ad in those slots, getting extra viewings.

There were nights where we'd see the ad once during a show, and times where we'd see it 2-3 times per show. Sometimes back to back.


Tony
January 10, 2026, 12:05 PM
egregore
Who wouldn't want to buy Dawn dish detergent after seeing it wash oil off baby ducks?





"The Almighty, He put some livin' things on this earth so a man can eat." - Festus Haggen, Gunsmoke
January 10, 2026, 12:15 PM
Aglifter
An acquaintance was in “Madison Ave.”

Most people are already going to buy whichever Fortune 100 product they’re used to.

It’s about moving the needle a tenth of a percentage. A 0.15% increase, traceable to a campaign, is a big deal - and an excellent ROI.
January 10, 2026, 12:25 PM
tatortodd
I guarantee if someone pushes the same damn commercial at me every 3 minutes that it'll build my resolve not to buy something from them.

I'm stubborn and have a long memory.



Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.
January 10, 2026, 12:32 PM
mrvmax
How many commercials did you hear over and over when you were a child that you still remember?
January 10, 2026, 12:32 PM
Prefontaine
Marketing/advertising trick. Repetition gets the weak mind. I only watch commercials, during commercial sports. So only a few months of the year, like say I want to watch some beautiful women compete in some sport in the Winter Olympics. Just mute the commercial breaks. Commercials are like the worst fast food there is, for the brain.



What am I doing? I'm talking to an empty telephone
January 10, 2026, 12:38 PM
architect
quote:
Originally posted by tatortodd:
I guarantee if someone pushes the same damn commercial at me every 3 minutes that it'll build my resolve not to buy something from them.
Same here, and it only takes one viewing if the commercial is irritating enough.

I have worn out the mute button on many remotes. Back before IR remotes I would put a switch with a long cord on it in the TV's speaker circuit. I feel that the mute button on a remote should be the biggest button and located right in the middle where it is impossible to miss.

I do not understand why not one single TV manufacturer offers a feature that would automatically mute commercial messages. Actually, I do understand, advertising revenue is far more lucrative than profits on TV sales.
January 10, 2026, 12:48 PM
smschulz
Frequency + Reach (for anyone who understands the business)
January 10, 2026, 12:50 PM
shovelhead
Delectables……sad part is that our elderly calico likes those better that Churros. What’s a cat dad to do?


-------------------------------------——————
————————--Ignorance is a powerful tool if applied at the right time, even, usually, surpassing knowledge(E.J.Potter, A.K.A. The Michigan Madman)
January 10, 2026, 01:05 PM
gpbst3
We use Hulu for our TV. There will be an episode of a show and every commercial break will replay the same couple ads.


January 10, 2026, 02:29 PM
Hamden106
But then there is that red head selling some sort of medicine. Smile

But then there is that toothy grin guy selling meds and hotel rooms. Mad



SIGnature
NRA Benefactor CMP Pistol Distinguished
January 10, 2026, 02:31 PM
9mmepiphany
quote:
Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Is this a matter of money? Some belief that showing the same commercials over and over leads to people buying the product? Even clever commercials get old very quickly.

Depends on the Commercial

While you may not have bought one, the Slap Chop, Shamwow, the Ginsu knife where huge marketing successes. They even became cultural icons.

If you're not OCD brand loyal to a brand of cola and both Pepsi and Coke are available, you'll usually select the one with the more clever commercial and the one you've seen the most on shows you watch.

Studies have shown that an example of wasted advertising are static bill boards




No, Daoism isn't a religion



January 10, 2026, 02:41 PM
229DAK
See Rock City.


_________________________________________________________________________
“A man’s treatment of a dog is no indication of the man’s nature, but his treatment of a cat is. It is the crucial test. None but the humane treat a cat well.”
-- Mark Twain, 1902
January 10, 2026, 02:42 PM
Blackmore
If I never hear about the miracle stuff to wash the wax off my produce ever again...


Harshest Dream, Reality
January 10, 2026, 02:52 PM
cas
Im convinced the constant bombardment / brain washing with nonsense it's one of the reasons people today are so stupid, and a big factor in their short attention spans.

For me, they just reenforce which products to never buy if at all possible.
January 10, 2026, 03:14 PM
Tonydec
quote:
Originally posted by gpbst3:
We use Hulu for our TV. There will be an episode of a show and every commercial break will replay the same couple ads.


Oh man. We were watching one of the streaming networks one night, the one where they show you how many ads and time in the corner. It showed 4 commercials, and 3 were the same! Next commercial break, it showed 4. All 4 were the SAME as the prior 3 of 4. Same commercial was played at least once or twice every other commercial break.

And it didn't work, neither my wife nor I can remember what the product was we came to hate it so much.


Tony
January 10, 2026, 04:57 PM
Schmelby
quote:
Originally posted by mrvmax:
How many commercials did you hear over and over when you were a child that you still remember?


My bologna has a first name, it's O s c a r.... LOL