From Buddy to Billboard: How A Constant Pitcher Turns Chatter Into Ad Blindness…

I know someone who, in every conversation, always seems to be making a sales pitch.

This happens not just in person, but online as well.

It’s like when you’re thrown a punch over and over — you learn to dodge it pretty quickly.

Now, whenever I see their name, I automatically skip over whatever it is they are saying currently.

I’ve been conditioned to expect another sales pitch, and even if that’s not the case, they’ve already lost my attention.

This phenomenon is known as “ad blindness.”

It’s similar to “Banner blindness,” a term coined in 1998 during website usability tests.

In these tests, most participants either deliberately or subconsciously ignored the information displayed in banners.

The lesson here is clear: mix in some genuine, non-sales interactions, or risk becoming irrelevant.

Think of it as a hug, which can make all the difference.