The mere exposure effect is a psychological phenomenon that says people are more likely to want something if they are exposed to it a lot.

You know that one stupid, annoying song that keeps getting stuck in your head? And then after a while, it grows on you? Yeah, I hate those. But the reason why it sticks to you like wet cotton candy is that the radio keeps exposing us to it.

And you know those silly looking fashion trends that all of a sudden look awesome after a couple of months? Yeah, you started liking them (and the annoying song) because of a psychological theory called the Mere Exposure Effect.

According to this concept, the more that people are exposed to something, the more that they’re going to want or desire that thing.

Mere Exposure Effect Experiments

There was this one study that researched the mere exposure effect on young students. The researchers had pre-schoolers watch Sesame Street episodes that featured Japanese, White, and First Nation cast members. They found that the pre-schoolers who watched the episodes were more likely to play with kids with these ethnicities at school than students who didn’t watch the episodes.

Another study looked at how mere exposure affects consumers’ buying habits. In this experiment, the researchers exposed participants to a certain brand of cigarettes. After the exposure, the participants were more likely to buy cigarettes from that brand.

Examples

When it comes to this effect, I have had many experiences with it, especially when it comes to clothing. There’ll be, like I mentioned earlier, stupid-looking clothing or sneaker trends. Initially, I will hate it and mock it. But after a while… after seeing a bunch of people that I like wearing this trend, it’ll start to grow on me.

One recent example of this is the puffer jacket. I wore it when I was younger but stopped liking this style when I was in my twenties. But recently, the wave came back. I ignored it at first and even made fun of some people wearing it. But then I just started seeing all these cool looking people wearing the puffer jacket. And after a few months of contemplation, I pulled the trigger and got myself one.

Stupid mere exposure theory!

How is the Mere Exposure Effect Used in Marketing?

So how can you apply this to marketing and your ad campaigns?

I feel this would work better with products over services. I think it’ll be easier to apply because showcasing someone using or wearing your product is simpler to do than illustrating someone using your service.

So to do this, you have to create images and stories of people using your product, and then exposing it as many times as possible. But don’t be annoying about it. Do it strategically; don’t just shove it in front of people’s faces every minute. Be that thing that randomly pops up and surprises people. Don’t be an invasive species that takes over people’s screens. Nobody likes that!

READ MORE: Psychology of Marketing

So there you have it! Do you like the idea of using mere exposure in your ads? Share your thoughts below.