Joe Camel, Carrie Bradshaw and the illusory truth effect

- The illusory truth effect

Back in 1977 a series of psychological studies from Villanova and Temple University, have, for the first time, coined the concept of the illusory truth effect. A psychological mechanism by which our brain tends to give credibility to statements, specifically lies, that are repeated time and time again.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/illusory-truth-effect

Spoiler: this is not a Trump post, it’s a fashion marketing post

- Joe Camel

Joe Camel was a marketing icon of the 20th Century. A cartoon camel smoking a cigarette and enjoying life. Joe’ illusory truth was “SMOKING IS COOL” and he was an incredibly successful ambassador of it.

The tobacco industry put a lot of money behind this. Not only behind Joe but also ensuring that every person smoking in every movie, show or picture was cool. And it worked. People forgot about persistent cough, bad breath, emphysema, lung, mouth and throat cancer. All because it was cool.

Until it wasn’t. In the 1990’s healthy living became a thing, pressure on the tobacco industry increased and their tactics were brought to light. In 1997, after 23 years of lying Joe Camel was retired. As a cartoon he did not get to die of cancer but very many did because of him so good job Joe!

- Carrie Bradshaw

Forward one year to 1998 and Carrie Bradshaw comes along. A Sitcom character depicting a sophisticated New York young professional with an interesting group of friends, an exciting love life and an obsession for fashion. 

Not a marketing character by design, Carrie Bradshaw also had an illusory truth: BUYING LOADS OF CLOTHES IS COOL. And history repeated itself… The fashion industry poured billions of dollars every year into Carrie and into making sure that every cool character everywhere looks like they spend a lot of money on clothes.

And again consumers fell for it and for the last 20 years have been feeding an industry that produces 10% of all carbon emissions, that exploits underpaid labour around the world, that fills the oceans with plastic and destroys 40% of its products without ever being worn.  All this whilst  preying on our insecurities and desire to fit in, making our wardrobe unmanageable and our pockets emptier.

But, like smoking, buying clothes isn’t cool anymore. Sustainable living and conscious consumption are the new paradigm, having as many things as possible is no longer what we live for.

What’s next?