What is the Blemishing Effect? Why Imperfections Aren’t Always Bad
🧠 What is the Blemishing Effect?
This psychological principle says that when we show a little negative information alongside the positive, we can make something seem more attractive.
Lots of brands use this effect to make themselves more lovable.
Just take Pringles who’s 2023 Super Bowl ad showed people getting their hands stuck at the bottom of its distinctive can:
Or VW’s classic example of the Blemishing Effect in action, the famous “Think Small” campaign (which could be seen as the inspiration for Mini’s triumphant U.S. launch).
Or Heinz ketchup’s advertising that focuses on how slow it is to come out of the bottle:
If you want to use the Blemishing Effect in your marketing and customer experience, start here:
- ✅ Talk to and listen to your customers — is there a quirk in your product that they love to hate?
- ✅ What are the small imperfections that make your product unique? (Don’t pick something that’s integral to how it works, like how Teslas *allegedly* have the tendency to catch fire)
- ✅ Think about how you can dial up this quirk and present it alongside your product’s good attributes.
Want to learn more about how your buyers tick (using marketing psychology, behavioral science, and predictive AI)?
👉 We’ve worked with brands of all sizes, including T-mobile, McDonald’s, Adidas and Starbucks.
And when you’re ready, Choice Hacking can help you, too:
- Coaching: Looking for clarity, focus, and confidence in your marketing and/or career? Behavioral Science-powered 1-on-1 Coaching could be a good match for you.
- Courses & Skill Sessions: Improve your customer experience, customer journey maps, presentations, landing page conversion rate, and more with the power of applied behavioral science in a self-directed course.
- Training: We can help your team level up their work with psychology, behavioral science, and AI training.
- Consulting: Get professional insight to grow your business with projects like:
- Customer Journey Maps
- Customer Insights Report
- Website Audit
- Free to Paid Conversion Audit
- Bespoke Project
