Person scrolling on mobile phone

Reminder Advertising: the Basics and How it’s Put to Use


We all need to be reminded of things everyday— wake up at 6, take out the trash, show up to that appointment, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, we typically cannot remember everything without a little help (cue sticky notes and iPhones).

Since our potential customers are people too, they’ll also need some reminding that you exist from time to time. So let’s talk about reminder advertising— the process of creating ads to let your audience know that your product or service is available. Sounds pretty standard, right? Well actually, reminder advertising doesn’t try to persuade customers to buy a particular product or service, but it can be just as (or more) important as ads that do.

First, let’s talk reminder advertising tactics.

Retargeting is when an ad for those shoes you were just looking at pops up on other, completely unrelated, webpages. It’s essentially a targeted reminder to check out the item again— in hopes a purchase will come out of it.

Abandoned cart emails also remind potential customers to follow through with purchases. Except this time, they’ve almost completed the process and may just need a final heads up.

Email newsletters usually include valuable (industry relevant) knowledge or special offers. More importantly, they keep your customers thinking about you as a reliable source for products and information.

Display ads are banners that appear on Facebook and Google, for instance. They, like newsletters, can simply just reinforce brand awareness.

Content keeps your brand on your audience’s mind. Update your website, regularly post on social media, and post blogs to keep your content fresh.

Now, let’s talk examples.


We’ve all seen Coca-Cola ads for years, and although they do change, the concept is generally the same. They rarely introduce new products, but they do remind you that Coke exists and you might be thirsty. There’s a reason why the simple polar bear ads appear every year— they work.


The average person is not going to make a large purchase on the regular. Yet Zillow wants to remind you that when you’re ready to buy a new home, you can rely on them. In one of their most recent ads the tagline is literally "When you're ready for a change, we're ready to help.” This is a great way Zillow establishes trust and reliability with potential customers— without being pushy.


McDonald’s does launch new menu items, or promotions, from time to time, but many of their ads just promote the overall brand. Remember, McDonald’s exists, and there’s a decent chance you might come across one of their commercials when you’re hungry.