Mere Exposure Effect
People come to prefer things simply because they have seen them before.
What it is
Familiarity breeds liking. Repeated, low-pressure exposure to a brand, a face or an interface pattern makes it feel safer and better without any argument being made. This is why retargeting works, why consistent branding matters, and why interfaces that follow convention feel easier than ones that do not.
The research
Participants shown unfamiliar characters more often rated them more positively, with liking rising steadily across repeated exposures.
Zajonc, 1968
How to use it
Retarget with the same creative
Frequency of a consistent message builds familiarity. Ten different ads build nothing.
Use conventions
A cart icon top right, a logo that links home, a blue link. Novelty in navigation costs trust.
Show up weekly
A short, regular email beats a long, occasional one. Presence is the product.
Related
Sources that shaped this entry: growth.design, Kolenda.io.