Is There Such a Thing as an Ad Campaign Lifespan? And Do Effective Ads Expire?
- Are Your Ads Wearing Out?
- Rethinking the Lifespan of Ad Campaigns
- Unlocking More Value from Creative Asset
- Why Testing is Essential for Long-Term Impac
System1’s findings reveal the real power of long-running campaigns
It’s common for brands to rotate their advertising frequently. Part of this stems from high turnover in marketing teams – new CMOs often introduce fresh digital marketing campaigns as part of their strategy to leave a mark. And because marketers spend so much time immersed in their creative, they tend to grow tired of their own content far sooner than their target audience does.
That fatigue can lead to concerns that the campaign’s performance will drop off, missing chances to engage potential customers or boost sales.
But is that fear justified? Does a shorter ad campaign lifespan really result in better outcomes? Or are teams inadvertently pulling the plug on successful campaigns too soon?
In a time where budget management and strategic focus are more crucial than ever, especially amid ongoing economic uncertainty, it’s vital for marketing initiatives to be guided by data. Not gut feeling.
As Mark Ritson noted in a webinar from System1:
“It’s a failure that so many marketers pull so many of their campaigns prematurely when their best days are yet to come.”
System1’s research set out to explore this issue – and challenge the long-held assumption that ads inevitably lose their impact over time.
Investigating Ad Campaign Lifespan: Does Effectiveness Really Fade?
To examine whether ad campaigns genuinely lose their impact over time, System1 explored the relationship between campaign age and audience response using its Test Your Ad platform and predictive Star Rating metric. Rated on a scale from 1.0 to 5.9, this metric evaluates the emotional effectiveness of creative, with happiness being the most powerful driver of long-term brand growth.
In our first analysis, we reviewed over 50,000 video ads. Some were evaluated within weeks of launching, while others were tested years later – some as many as 7,000 days after their debut. If the idea of creative fatigue held true, we would expect older ads to see a noticeable dip in ratings. But the data tells a different story. Ads tested within 50 days of their air date averaged 2.2 Stars. Ads tested at later intervals stayed in a consistent range, scoring between 2.0 and 2.4 Stars.
Performance Over Time: Do Ads Decline… or Endure?
Of course, this analysis doesn’t tell the full story. One counterargument is that underperforming ads might be pulled early, leaving only strong performers in the dataset as they age. So, to get a more accurate picture of campaign lifespan and audience engagement, we tracked the exact same creative over time – including through major global events that could have altered public sentiment and skewed results.
We re-tested 50 UK and 50 US ads originally evaluated before the COVID-19 pandemic. These ads were tested again during the first lockdown in March 2020, revisited in January 2021 during the resurgence of the virus, and tested once more in October 2022 amid economic uncertainty and fears of recession.
Remarkably, the results were steady. Despite changes in market conditions and consumer mindset, the correlation between pre-pandemic scores and those in late 2022 was a striking 0.9.
In other words, the campaign’s performance remained virtually unchanged, reinforcing the idea that high-quality ads can maintain their effectiveness far longer than most teams assume.
Why Some Ads Get Better Over Time
While some ads do lose steam, just as many show improved results over time – particularly those that leverage proven storytelling techniques. Ineffective campaigns (those rated 1- or 2-Stars) rarely improve in effectiveness over time, but ads that perform well initially often see boosts in their Star Rating the longer they run. This is especially true when the creative includes repeatable elements like memorable taglines or recurring characters – features associated with right-brain processing and stronger emotional resonance.
The takeaway? Brands that create emotionally rich, well-branded content are positioned to extend their ad campaign lifespan without sacrificing performance. That means more value from every pound or dollar spent – without rushing to replace creative that still works.
Are Brands Maximizing the Value of Their Creative?
With little evidence that ads wear out quickly, the next logical question is: are marketers making the most of the creative they invest in? Or are high-performing ads being retired too soon, leaving brand value on the table?
To investigate, we looked at campaign duration across more than 46,000 video ads – over 31,000 from the US and more than 15,000 from the UK – and compared that with each ad’s emotional effectiveness, as measured by its Star Rating.
A Tale of Two Markets
In the US, the results were encouraging. The data shows a clear pattern: the more effective the ad, the longer it tends to run. 5-Star ads in the US (those having ‘Exceptional’ brand-building potential) enjoy a 25% longer campaign duration on average than their 1-Star counterparts (those having ‘Low’ brand-building potential). That suggests marketers are recognizing – and capitalizing on – the creative effectiveness of their best-performing work.
In the UK, however, the trend flips. Surprisingly, 5-Star ads run for less time than lower-performing ones. On average, a 5-Star ad in the UK airs for just 71 days, while a 1-Star ad is given over 3 months (95 days) of airtime.
In short, some of the UK’s most effective creative is being underused, while less impactful campaigns receive more media spend. From a media planning and advertising ROI perspective, this is a costly mismatch.
What’s Driving the UK Downtrend?
There are, of course, market-specific factors at play. In the UK, seasonal campaigns – particularly Christmas ads – often perform extremely well but have naturally short lifespans. These high-performing ads skew the average downward.
Meanwhile, in the US, cultural moments like the Super Bowl can also affect campaign longevity. Some ads tied specifically to the event don’t run beyond it. For example, Coinbase’s infamous bouncing QR code ad – a buzzworthy 1-Star campaign geared towards performance rather than brand building – only aired once, during the game.
Still, these exceptions don’t change the broader picture: while US brands tend to extend the life of high-performing creative, UK marketers may be pulling strong ads prematurely – sacrificing reach and mental availability in the process.
The Case for Ongoing Ad Testing
While a few iconic campaigns – like Coca-Cola’s Christmas trucks or M&M’s “They Do Exist!” – have stood the test of time, it’s increasingly rare for creative to be reused or sustained beyond a few weeks. In an industry obsessed with novelty, great ads are often retired long before their effectiveness fades.
So how can marketers know when it’s worth continuing to invest in an ad?
Testing Builds Confidence – and Longevity
Ad testing gives marketers a clear view of not just short-term impact, but also the long-term brand-building potential of a campaign. As our data shows, 4- and 5-Star ads can remain effective for years – and in some cases, even improve over time.
Instead of pouring budget into new creative concepts, brands can redirect that spend into smarter media planning – reaching wider audiences with content that’s already proven to work.
Spot Issues Early, Refine with Purpose
Just as importantly, testing helps flag underperforming ads before they eat into budget.
If an ad scores in the 1- or 2-Star range, it’s a signal that something isn’t connecting. Knowing how viewers feel – and why – gives marketers the insight needed to adjust, refine, or start fresh with greater clarity.
In short, ad testing isn’t just a quality control tool. It’s a strategic advantage. One that helps marketers avoid creative waste, maximize their strongest assets, and build brands that last.
Are you ready to start creating 5-Star ads that stand the test of time?