Hi friends,

Imagine this. You’re sitting at the back of the bike and your friend is driving and you see a Honda 4th time in a day. You say to your friend, “Bro, why am I seeing so many Honda cars we talked about earlier?”

Ever happened to you?

I know it must have and it’s not a coincidence. There’s science to it or should I say your brain is playing with you?

That’s exactly what we’re covering today + an ad for men. Yes, you heard it right.

Copywriting Example

L'Oréal

A red background. Four lipsticks lined up like soldiers. And a headline that stops you cold:

"THIS IS AN AD FOR MEN."

Wait, what?

Your brain does a double-take. L'Oréal? The beauty brand? Making ads for men?

Then you read the subhead: "Hire more women in leadership roles. We're all worth it."

And suddenly, everything clicks.

See, most brands trying to make a statement about gender equality sound preachy. They lecture. They virtue signal. They make you feel bad for not caring enough.

L'Oréal flipped the script.

They didn't lecture men about hiring women. They showed them the business case. The chart on the right reveals the real punch: companies with more female leaders see 15% higher profitability.

But here's the genius part: they packaged this data inside their own brand promise. "We're all worth it" isn't just about feeling beautiful. It's about being valued. Respected. Heard.

The ad doesn't sell lipstick to men. It sells respect for women. To everyone.

Takeaway? When you want to change minds, don't attack the old thinking. Reframe the conversation entirely. Make your message impossible to ignore by making it impossible to expect.

Marketing Secret

The Frequency Illusion

Ever notice how once you learn a new word, you start hearing it everywhere?

Or how when you're thinking about buying a Honda, suddenly every third car on the road is a Honda?

That's not a coincidence. That's your brain playing tricks on you.

It's called the Frequency Illusion, also known as the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon. Once something gets your attention, your brain starts filtering reality to notice it more often.

Smart marketers exploit this ruthlessly.

Think about it. Nike doesn't just run one ad and hope you remember. They show up everywhere. Billboards during your commute. Sponsored posts in your feed. Athletes wearing swooshes during the game you're watching.

Not because they're desperate. Because they understand how memory works.

The more you see something, the more your brain assumes it must be important. And important things feel safer to buy.

Amazon knows this. That's why they retarget you with ads for that jacket you looked at. Not once. Not twice. Seven, eight, or nine times until your brain decides, "I keep seeing this jacket. Maybe I really do need it."

The frequency creates the illusion of need.

Here's how to use this:

Don't disappear after one touchpoint. Show up consistently. Email newsletters. Social posts. Partner mentions. Guest appearances.

Make your brand the Honda they can't stop noticing.

Because once you're in their awareness, you're halfway to being in their wallet.

So here's your homework: Map out seven different ways your ideal customer might encounter your brand this month. Then execute all seven.

Talk soon,

Alen

P.S. Pay attention to what you start noticing after reading this. I bet you'll spot frequency illusion happening to you within 48 hours. That's the illusion working on the illusion itself.