Always on marketing: 24/7/365 campaigns that never sleep

Traditional advertising — built around short-lived campaigns and time-bound promotions — is no longer enough on its own. Today, it's increasingly being complemented by a more persistent and omnipresent strategy known as "Always On Marketing" or simply "Always On Ads."

Rather than relying on sporadic bursts of activity, the always-on marketing strategy keeps brands in front of their audience at all times, delivering timely, relevant, and personalised content 24/7, year-round.

This shift in approach is primarily driven by consumer behavior. According to Statista, the global number of Internet users is forecasted to increase between 2024 and 2028 by a total of 1.2 billion users (+20.83%). With more people online than ever before (and spending more of their time there), brands must adapt and continuously engage to keep up with this growing demand.

Defining always-on campaigns

Think of always-on campaigns as a 24/7 store, always ready to welcome customers. In the past, ads were like fireworks – they'd burst onto the scene and then disappear. But always-on campaigns are like a steady light that never goes out, ensuring people always see and remember the brand.

Key features

• Everywhere, all the time: These campaigns make sure your brand is regularly seen across many channels
• ‍Made for everyone: With real-time info, each ad can be customized. It is about tailoring the ad experience for each consumer.
• Adapts and grows: Always-on campaigns are smart. If people don't like an ad, it changes on the fly; it adapts. The importance of these campaigns cannot be overstated in the contemporary digital ecosystem. They not only foster enhanced brand visibility but also facilitate a more nuanced, personalized, and engaging brand-audience interaction.

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In an era where consumer attention is fragmented, being "Always On" ensures that brands remain at the forefront of the consumer's mind, boosting brand awareness, engagement, and conversions. It is about the customer journey of each customer — focusing on dynamic personalization in marketing materials is crucial. Keep in mind, it should always be tested and improved upon.

The intersection of always-on ads and programmatic advertising

Programmatic advertising — with its automation, precision targeting, and real-time bidding — is a natural enabler of an always-on marketing strategy. While programmatic technology can certainly support shorter or time-bound campaigns (e.g., day-part targeting, burst campaigns, promotions), its true potential is unlocked when the system is given time to learn from ongoing interactions and optimize in real-time.

That's where the always-on model becomes especially powerful. Because it runs continuously, the programmatic engine can collect more data, adapt, and steadily improve results over time. In other words, the two approaches share the same philosophy and perfectly complement each other in their application and execution:

• Automation: Programmatic advertising streamlines the ad buying process, ensuring that always-on campaigns remain visible and are continuously optimized.
• Data utilization: The amalgamation of rich data ensures that ads, with the right message, are reaching the right audience at the right time.
• Real-time optimization: As the campaign data flows in, programmatic advertising ensures that always-on campaigns are continuously refined for maximum impact.

‍Where always on ensures perpetual visibility, programmatic advertising ensures that this visibility is optimized, targeted, and impactful.

Always on marketing example  

Let's use an example to put things into perspective. For the purpose of the example, we'll use an imaginary supermarket called Eskimart and examine how its needs change weekly.

The supermarket needs to promote different products in different weeks. Considering the limited lifespan of the products, the ad content needs to change on time. As you can see, from week 42 to week 43, the banner changes colour scheme, imagery, and content.

The campaign stays on long term, but the ad's content, messaging, and appearance change to fit the supermarket's needs.

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How campaign interruption can impact results

When campaigns are always on, they consistently gather, analyze, and act on data in real-time. Interrupting them can lead to several unwelcome consequences.

Continuity is the cornerstone of intelligent ad delivery. It optimizes ad placements, ensuring ads reach the right audience at the right time. The algorithm behind this continuity is data-hungry, needing a continuous flow of information to adapt, learn, and improve.

Here's what happens when there's a campaign interruption:

• Data disruption: The algorithm is denied access to real-time data, hindering its learning process and rendering the marketing efforts less effective.
• Performance deterioration: Without constant data, the algorithm's performance deteriorates, affecting the targeting accuracy and return on investment (ROI).
• Learning setback: The disruption in data flow can set back the learning curve of the algorithm, necessitating a ‘re-learning' phase once the campaign resumes.

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The repercussions of campaign interruption aren't limited to the algorithm. They extend to the overall effectiveness of the campaign. Interruptions can impede momentum, affecting key performance indicators (KPIs) and the overall ROI. Here's how:

• Audience engagement: In an always-on approach, audience engagement is sustained and built upon consistently. Interruptions can lead to a loss of audience engagement and interest.
• Brand recall: Consistency is key in enhancing brand awareness and recall. Each pause can lead to a dilution of brand presence in the consumers' minds.
• Competitive edge: In the fast-paced digital space, a halt gives competitors the opportunity to swoop in and capture your potential customers' attention. ‍
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Each interruption is akin to disrupting an entire ecosystem, leading to not only short-term losses but also long-term setbacks.

The case for always on campaigns

Data has always been the cornerstone of advertising — it informs, directs, and validates efforts. Brands that maintain active, omnichannel campaigns not only enhance their brand awareness but also fortify their customer relationships, and boost ROI.

According to a 2025 study by Eskimi, some individuals are exposed to nearly 1,600 ad placements daily. That's bound to cause banner blindness and ad fatigue. Solution? To make sure yours stand out.

Adopting an always-on marketing strategy is akin to:

• having a store that never closes its doors
• a customer service that's always responsive
• a marketing campaign that's ceaselessly optimized ‍
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It signifies a brand's commitment to being perpetually present, attentive, and responsive to its audience's needs and wants.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the brands that harness the power of always-on campaigns are the ones that will not only survive but also thrive, establishing an unyielding rapport with their audience and achieving sustainable growth.

What are your next steps?

If you're ready to imprint your brand into the forefront of the consumer's mind and ensure that it remains there, the path is clear. Embrace the benefits of always-on campaigns and programmatic advertising.

Harness the power of real-time, personalized, and optimized ad delivery that doesn't just meet but anticipates the needs of your audience. The future of advertising is not just about reaching audiences; it's about resonating with individuals on a personal level. People have different needs, and always on campaigns can do just that.