ToMA IS BALONEY

Top of the Mind Awareness (TOMA) is TOTALLY IRRELEVANT in today’s marketing world. 

While a good old fashioned baloney sandwich still has a certain appeal in a sack lunch, it shouldn’t be a part of a steady diet.

And neither should TOMA for prudent, budget sensitive marketers. For decades, the concept of TOMA has been the golden goose of ad agencies and radio and TV stations. “Always be out there so the consumer remembers you when they’re ready!” cried the ad reps. They hailed the TOMA cycle of Awareness, Consideration, Purchase as gospel. And don’t forget the final stage, Loyalty, for after the purchase was made.

The selling point was that they needed to keep your company at the front of the consumer’s mind all of the time. A crucial doctrine, mind you, to keep your ad dollars flowing in and the media machine humming. All it took was money and lots of it. By its very nature, it set up a fool’s game – spend more and keep spending more or your competition will get that top position. 

No need to argue whether it ever was a prudent strategy. But in marketing, it makes sense to consider the nature of consumers today. In particular, brand allegiance is weaker, buying cycles are shorter, and pre-purchase research is huge. The proliferation of social media and user-generated content has shifted the power dynamic in favor of consumers. Today’s shopper has access to more information and resources than ever before, so they’re less likely to rely on traditional advertising and more likely to seek out recommendations and reviews from their peers.

The growth of personalized marketing has made it impossible for any one brand to establish universal TOMA. And frankly, TOMA is just too darn expensive. As traditional channels bleed audience share and digital channels grow exponentially, TOMA is a huge burden on the budget.

With so many brands vying for attention, consumers now actively seek information about products and services online that are tailored to their specific needs and preferences. That’s where we come in.

The tools that are available today allow your brand to jump into the picture at the very first digital signal that your customer is in-market. Connected TV (CTV) streaming platforms invite you to join your consumer’s journey at the very beginning of their quest. Instead of running a handful of “drip” ads over years in hopes that they’ll eventually be relevant, savvy marketers can now capture the biggest screen in the house with a torrent of ads catering to various needs and emotions precisely when consumers are interested. Engagement and purchases skyrocket when consumers encounter an ad that they actually currently care about.

The truth is, the majority of TOMA ads have always been ignored because the viewers simply didn’t care. While the “Mad Men” style marketers spent years pushing budgets and bourbon, their wonky messages fell on ears that would simply never be in the market for what they were selling.

They were right about one thing, though – TV was and still is the most effective medium ever invented to carry messages. And with the advent of CTV, it’s even better. Unskippable TV ads can now reach the consumers who genuinely want your products, precisely when they want them. Let’s talk about what a difference that can make for your business.