This past week, and probably every day for the past few years, Kim or one of the other Kardashians has been a top story on Yahoo’s homepage.  Now, admittedly, Keeping Up with the Kardashian’s is the only reality show I watch occasionally (Kloe just makes me laugh), but I am one of the millions of Americans who don’t quite get why people are so interested.  Yet, the media thinks or knows that we care, so they continue to report when a dog is bought, an outfit isn’t right or someone gets a vampire facial (seriously?).

Still, I think there is something to be said about staying in the spotlight.  Too often, an advertiser will do an initial test and immediately go off the air to crunch the numbers to see what worked and what didn’t.  In the meantime, a competitor, who understands there is a need for branding in addition to accountable campaigns (direct response) can swoop in, take advantage of the four, six or eight weeks a brand has spent advertising and build on that awareness.

Finding out where to spend your marketing dollars and where to stop spending is paramount.  But being able to stick around long enough to be there when it’s time for a consumer to think about or purchase your product or service calls for a shift in dollars to create a “staying top of mind” budget in between accountable campaigns.

The brands you hear, month in and month out, know this.  They’re the ones you’ll hear on-air next year.  And for a very good reason; it’s working.

Barbra Tabnick is Vice President, Account Services at The Radio Agency. Please follow The Radio Agency’s Blog “Sounding Board” by subscribing to the RSS link above. Visit our website TheRadioAgency.com