Monsters in the closet: the pros and cons of overexposure

When building a marketing campaign, there are many things to consider. Who is the target audience and where are they? How should you connect with them, and with what frequency? The risk of overexposure is one that brands should be concerned about. There can be more at stake for your business reputation than you might think.

Negative energy
The recent legal proceedings Monster Energy Drink is facing provide a good example of bad overexposure. The behemoth brand saw a 25% decline in its stock price and a decrease in sales following the death of a 14-year-old girl, who had consumed two 24-ounce cans of Monster Energy Drink in a 24-hour period. The drinks each held the caffeine equivalent of five sodas.

Even though it was not proven that the drink killed the girl, there were similar fatal cases linked to consumption of the beverage, and public fear rose as a result of the media’s focus on the issue. This is obviously the kind of overexposure no company wants.

Scrutiny and safety
If you are a brand who has a safe product and solid footing, and you are simply worried about the negative impact of being in too many places, don’t be. It is unlikely that there will be a backlash towards your brand, and more likely that you’ll gain improved brand awareness and a higher likelihood of sales. After all, the more eyes that see your brand (and the more times they see it), the more prominent you’ll be in the average consumer’s mind when they are making their decisions.

Richard Ridley from CreateSpace writes, 'Overexposure hurts flimsy, inauthentic brands built on schtick or [current] trends…That's because more exposure comes with more scrutiny. The more people who take a look under the hood, the greater the chance flimsy brands will ultimately fail.'

In other words, keep it clean and make sure that your brand has nothing to hide.

Cara Aley is a freelance writer who covers a wide variety of topics from health and wellness to digital marketing strategies.