Day-parting

Definition

Scheduling ads to appear only during specific times of day because apparently ads at 3 AM get different results than at 3 PM (and they kinda do).

Example Usage

We're day-parting coffee ads to run heavier at 6-9 AM when caffeine dependence peaks.

Origin

Radio advertising strategy from the 1970s, adapted for digital

Fun Fact

Day-parting can improve ROI by 15-25% depending on product category, but requires enough budget to make the granularity worthwhile

Source: Media buying and programmatic advertising

Related Terms

Intermediate

above the line

Traditional mass media advertising channels like TV, radio, print, and outdoor that reach broad audiences with uniform messages. It's the old-school, expensive way to shout at everyone simultaneously regardless of interest.

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Intermediate

top of mind awareness

The first brand that comes to mind when a consumer thinks of a particular product category. It's the ultimate marketing achievement: occupying mental real estate rent-free.

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Beginner

frequency

How often something occurs within a given time period, whether that's radio waves oscillating, ad impressions served, or your project manager asking for status updates. In physics, it's measured in Hertz; in marketing, it's how many times your target audience sees your ad before they start actively hating you. The sweet spot between "who are you?" and "please make it stop."

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Advanced

Cognitive bias

Those mental shortcuts our brains take that advertisers ruthlessly exploit—confirmation bias, anchoring, sunk cost fallacy—basically why marketing works despite being ridiculous.

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Beginner

niche

A specialized market segment so specific that you're either a genius for discovering it or desperately grasping at straws. It's where businesses go to avoid competing with Amazon by selling something like artisanal yak wool iPhone cases. The sweet spot between 'untapped opportunity' and 'there's probably a reason nobody else is doing this.'

📣 Marketing / Advertising

Intermediate

makegoods

Compensatory advertising inventory provided when campaigns underdeliver on promised impressions or performance. The media equivalent of 'sorry we ruined your wedding, here's a gift card.'

📣 Marketing / Advertising

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