We’ve all heard it before: it takes about seven impressions before a consumer even recognizes your brand. It’s a rule that’s been around since the early days of advertising, and while the media has changed, the idea still holds up – especially in CPG marketing.
But today’s path to purchase looks nothing like it used to. Shoppers bounce between platforms, tabs, and aisles. They might spot an ad on Instagram, look up a product on Walmart.com, check the shelf next time they’re at the store…and still not buy. That’s why getting in front of them consistently across all these moments matters more than ever.
So what does the “7 impressions rule” look like for CPG brands today?
The shopper journey is fragmented. Your audience isn’t seeing your message in a tidy sequence. It’s showing up in bits and pieces across their day. That means your brand needs to show up everywhere it counts, not with the same message copy-pasted across platforms, but in ways that make sense for each stage and channel.
Back in the day, you might have relied on TV spots or magazine ads. Now? It’s about showing up during their digital scroll, when they’re searching for recipes online, browsing in-store, reading reviews, and making those last-minute decisions at shelf.
Retail Media Networks
These are prime real estate for showing up when shoppers are actively looking for something to buy.
- Sponsored Search: Your product needs to rank high when someone’s searching on retailer sites like Walmart.com or Kroger.com. These lower-funnel moments are your chance to catch someone right before they add to cart.
- Shoppable Display Ads: Think banner ads across retailer sites or apps. These are great for staying visible as shoppers browse and compare.
Digital Discovery & Sampling
It’s one thing to be seen. It’s another to be tried.
- Community-Based Discovery: Platforms like Social Nature offer a unique kind of impression – one that shoppers opt into. That kind of interest and intention is hard to beat.
- At-Home Trial: Getting your product into the home is the definition of household penetration, and is important since the purchaser (e.g. mom) is often not the end-user (child, husband, grandma, etc).
- Post-Trial Engagement: Incentivize shoppers to leave a review. Encourage sharing of UGC through contests. Create loyalists out of your D2C shoppers with swag giveaways or sneak peaks into new innovation. These moments build trust and give other shoppers valuable social proof.
Digital Coupons & Promotions
In this retracted market, a discount is often what it takes to acquire a new shopper; especially when it’s part of a coordinated campaign. Whether through retailer apps, digital coupon sites, or direct channels, these incentives help move people from interest to action.
In-store presence still matters. Don’t underestimate the power of physical shelf space.
- Shelf Placement: Visibility is everything. If your product is easy to spot, it’s easy to grab.
- Signage & Merchandising: Good signage can reinforce what someone already saw online or prompt them to try something new.
- Store Apps & Circulars: Being included in weekly deals or digital flyers provides another pull-through strategy.
The real magic happens when these impressions work together. A shopper might:
- See your ad while searching for snacks on Walmart.com
- Spot a review on Instagram from someone they follow
- Get a digital coupon emailed to them
- See your product in a dedicated in-store display
- Pick it up off the shelf the next time they shop
That’s five quality touchpoints with each one reinforcing the last.
It’s not about chasing exactly seven impressions through seven different tactics. It’s about building presence and momentum. When your brand shows up consistently across the full shopper journey, you increase the odds of conversion – whether that’s in a digital cart or a store aisle.
The takeaway? CPG brands that think strategically across both digital and in-store experiences are the ones that win shopper attention and loyalty in today’s noisy world.
Check out our webinar, Mastering Your Shopper Marketing Strategy, for more insights on how natural CPG brands are building smarter retail campaigns from digital to shelf.
