Those lengthy side effects and warnings that accompany drug advertisements can actually have the paradoxical effect of making a product seem more appealing—especially over the long term.
That same effect applies whether that “drug” is a medication, tobacco product or artificial sweetener.
In a study in the journal Psychological Science, researchers found that disclosing a product's risks alongside its benefits actually makes the advertisement seem more reliable. So while hearing about the risks of heart attacks, strokes and weight gain might be initially off-putting, participants who got the good with the bad were more likely to buy the product at a later date—say, two weeks or three months later.
Over the short term, the researchers found, those clear messages about cigarettes causing cancer, for example, are likely to make someone think twice about lighting up. But as time passes, we tend to de-emphasize side effects and put greater store in the positive aspects of the message.
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