The Frequency Illusion and Advertising

In the 1980s, a man read about the Baader-Meinhof Group, a far-left German militant faction.

The next day, he heard about them again—totally unrelated.

He was stunned.

How could he hear about something so obscure twice in 24 hours?

He mentioned it to his friends, and they all had similar experiences with other things. The name stuck: Baader-Meinhof phenomenon.

Now, picture this: You see an ad for a new phone.

You’ve never noticed it before.

Then, out of nowhere, it’s all over your Instagram feed.

Your coworker has it. You spot it in a store.

Suddenly, it’s everywhere.

Truth is...

It’s not that the phone is showing up more. It’s your brain tuning in.

This is why the Baader-Meinhof effect, is also known as frequency illusion.

You are probably asking:

How does this relate to marketing?

Marketers love this. They use it to their advantage every day.

How?

By showing you a product just once, they plant a seed.

That seed grows as you start to notice it more in the world around you.

Here’s why it works: your brain is wired to spot patterns.

Once something catches your attention, you start seeing it everywhere, creating an illusion of repetition.

For advertisers, it’s pure gold.

The more you think you’re seeing a product, the more familiar it becomes.

And the more familiar it feels, the more likely you are to buy.

So next time you keep spotting the same thing over and over, remember— it’s no coincidence.

It’s the Baader-Meinhof (Frequency Illusion) effect in action. And marketers know exactly what they’re doing.

Ever noticed this in your life? Share your stories below! ??