Using FOMO in Advertising Campaigns

The fear of missing out (FOMO) is both real and also relevant. In a digital age with constant connection, individuals, especially millennials, are able to see the events that they miss out on when they’re not around. Because inclusion is important to a millennial audience, FOMO often sets in when a millennial leaves town or is unable to attend a popular social event.

In many cases FOMO drives millennials to actively seek inclusion, whether that be through attending events or purchasing specific products. Using situations that create FOMO in advertising in one way that any forward-thinking advertising agency can draw in a young audience.

Using FOMO to Your Advantage

Perhaps you own a Utah-based advertising agency. Your agency has been contracted by state officials to bring more tourism to Utah state parks. By using FOMO to your advantage, you can create a scenario that ignites FOMO, thus driving millennials down to Utah state parks.

In order to create FOMO, your advertising agency must know its audience. What drives the consumer? What does the consumer not want to miss out on? Does missing a family gathering give the consumer more anxiety than missing a big party?

Once you can accurately answer those types of questions about your consumer, you are ready to create advertisements that utilize FOMO. Whether using video, picture or written word, make it your goal to create a scenario that individuals won’t dare miss out on.

Avoid phrases that say “everyone is doing it,” and instead, show them everyone who is doing it. Create a fun and lively scenario with generic characters, so that millennials can easily substitute themselves into the scenes. The easier you make if for millennials to picture this event as necessary point in their lives, the easier it is to let FOMO run its course.

When sharing ads that are meant to create FOMO, take them to the places that millennials visit. This does not just mean placing paper ads in popular hangout spots. Millennials frequent social media channels. All digital advertising meant to cause FOMO should be placed on popular social media networks.

Let your advertising agency do preliminary research to determine the social media channels most used by your target audience. You can then gear content specifically to that audience on that particular platform. The more specialized your content is, the more successfully it will perform.

Ultimately, whether in Utah or beyond, your advertising agency can use FOMO to its advantage. Use your research team and other resources, to determine just how to do so.

Maddison Driggs writes for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. She writes for many other clients as well. Follow on Twitter.