The Power of Words in Marketing

Have you ever purchased a product because of certain word or phrase on the package such as “organic” or “all-natural”?  These words can mean many things but often leads you to believe the product is healthy.  This is called the “Health Halo Effect.”

In an attempt to see how far this bias went, researchers from Cornell University recruited 115 people from a local mall in Ithaca, New York.  Participants were asked to evaluate 3 pairs of products; 2 yogurts, 2 cookies, and 2 potato chips, one bearing the word “organic” and one “regular.”  All of the product pairs were identical, yet the cookies and yogurt were estimated by people to have significantly fewer calories when they were labeled “organic” rather than “regular.”  The “organic” cookies and chips were perceived to be more nutritious than the “regular” and the “organic” products were evaluated as tasting “lower in fat,” and the “regular” cookies tasting better.  The latter is linked to the idea that unhealthier food is tastier in general than healthy food.  People were also willing to pay up to 23.4% more for the “organic” product versus the “regular”!  The label made all the difference but in truth, the products were identical.

It seems that people who were more environmentally conscious and those who read labels tended to be less influenced by the “Health Halo Effect.”  The nutrition facts label and the ingredient list are the most important areas of a food package to look at when being a savvy shopper, not the words the manufacturers are using to sell their products.  You may be surprised that an organic brand of crackers you are buying is a lot higher in fat or sugar than you had thought.  Keep in mind just because the fat or sugar in a product is organic, it does not mean the product is good for you.  Escape the bias and take a closer look the next time you head to the supermarket!

Your turn to take action: Take a look in your kitchen cabinets.  Have you been susceptible to the “Health Halo Effect” on any of the products you purchase?

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