Purpose
To ensure accurate and comparable results when measuring advertising or communication recall across campaigns and media channels.
Recommended best practice
Always specify a recall period (e.g. "in the past 1 week/month") — otherwise, respondents interpret recently subjectively, leading to inflated and inconsistent recall.
Suggested core wording
"Have you seen or heard any advertising for [Brand] in the past 2 weeks?"
Optional follow-up
"Where did you see or hear this advertising?"
(TV / Online / Social media / Outdoor / Print / Radio / Other)
Typical recall windows by media type
| Medium | Recommended recall period | If "recently" is unspecified, respondents typically recall… |
|---|---|---|
| Television / Online Video | 2–3 weeks | ≈ 2–4 weeks |
| Digital Display / Social Media | 1–2 weeks | ≈ 1–3 weeks |
| Outdoor (OOH) | 3–4 weeks | ≈ 2–6 weeks |
| Print / Magazines | 4–6 weeks | ≈ 4–8 weeks |
| Radio / Audio Streaming | 2–3 weeks | ≈ 2–5 weeks |
| General "Brand Communication" (no medium specified) | 2–4 weeks | ≈ 3–5 weeks |
Rule of thumb
When "recently" is left undefined, respondents usually think about the past month (≈ 3–5 weeks).
This is consistent with norms seen in:
- Kantar and Ipsos brand tracking templates
- ESOMAR and ARF advertising recall research
- Academic memory recall studies (e.g., Collins 2008; Percy & Rossiter 2012)
Why it matters
- Accuracy: Specifying time reduces false recall and memory bias.
- Comparability: Keeps wave-to-wave data aligned with actual campaign periods.
- Actionability: Enables clearer linkage to media spend and exposure timing.
Summary
Define your recall window explicitly.
Use 2 weeks as the standard for ongoing tracking, extend to 4 weeks for lower-frequency media or reduce to 7 days for continuous tracking, and remember that “recently” ≈ 1 month if left open-ended.