The Power and Fragility of the Placebo Effect

I’ve always been fascinated by the placebo effect. People experience real physical and mental boosts on “fake” treatments. However, the placebo effect has a fragile core. Once you know it’s just a placebo, the magic vanishes.

Imagine you’re on medication and gradually reducing the dose. You might still feel great, thinking the medication works wonders at a lower dose, but if a doctor tells you that the dose is so low it’s ineffective, that illusion shatters instantly. From then on, that same medication won’t work as it did before.

As marketers and communicators, we often tap into this effect, leveraging people’s belief that a particular product makes them faster, stronger, or cooler. And it works — until it doesn’t.

As a hockey coach, I’ve seen many young players with expensive hockey sticks. These kids play with more confidence because their sticks mimic the ones used by Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews. That is until something goes wrong. Maybe they miss a crucial shot, and suddenly, the allure of the stick is gone.

The fascinating part with kids is that the placebo can be reinstalled quickly. With a bit of encouragement, the belief returns. However, with adults, it’s not so easy. Once that placebo is broken, it can be gone for good.