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Omnicom Media study warns ‘negative reach’ can undermine ad campaigns

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2026

New report urges marketers to rethink frequency strategy amid fragmentation, signal loss and rising consumer frustration.

As marketers grapple with fragmented media environments and diminishing signal fidelity, new research from Omnicom Media Intelligence argues that one of advertising’s oldest metrics – frequency – has become one of its most misunderstood and mismanaged. 

 

The report, titled ‘Why Frequency Matters: Combating Negative Reach’, finds that while frequency remains a critical driver of campaign effectiveness, overexposure is increasingly eroding returns, creating what the company terms ‘negative reach’ – the point at which repeated impressions frustrate consumers and damage brand perception. 

Blue megaphone with a darker handle projecting to the right emitting sound lines on a yellow background

Image by Creativenookph from Pixabay

“Frequency has always been foundational, but the way it needs to be managed today is fundamentally different,” says Joanna O’Connell, Chief Intelligence Officer at Omnicom Media North America.  

 

“In a fragmented, privacy‑first ecosystem, the risk isn’t just under‑delivery – it’s over‑delivery in the wrong places, at the wrong moments, to the same audiences.” 

 

The study challenges long‑held assumptions around optimal frequency, noting that while effectiveness often falls within a two‑to‑seven exposure range, there is no universal threshold. Instead, outcomes are highly dependent on campaign objectives, audience dynamics and media context. 

 

More critically, the research highlights how quickly frequency can become counterproductive, with consumers reporting high levels of frustration when exposed to the same ad repeatedly within a single session – particularly on streaming platforms where repetition is most pronounced. 

 

Among the key findings: 

 

  • No Universal Frequency Threshold Exists 
    While effectiveness often occurs between two and seven exposures, optimal frequency varies widely based on campaign goals, audience and media environment. 
  • Overexposure Leads to Negative Reach 
    Excessive repetition can actively harm brand perception. The study defines negative reach as the point at which repeated impressions create frustration and diminish effectiveness rather than enhance it. 
  • Consumer Frustration Escalates Quickly 
    More than 60% of consumers report seeing the same ad multiple times in a single session on streaming and social platforms, with frustration rising sharply after repeated exposures in one sitting. More than half would pay a premium be avoid seeing the same ads repeatedly within a single streaming session. 
  • Variety Matters More Than Volume 
    Consumers are far more tolerant of seeing ads across different platforms than they are of repeated exposure within the same environment. 

At the same time, Omnicom Media’s analysis shows that when managed effectively across channels, coordinated exposure can significantly improve outcomes, particularly in driving new‑to‑brand conversions. 

 

“Frequency is no longer a box to check – it’s a balancing act that sits at the centre of performance, efficiency, and experience,” O’Connell adds. “Marketers who can manage that balance will be the ones who unlock real competitive advantage.” 

 

The report is available here. 

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