You weren’t born thinking dairy, shiny shampoo, or “eight glasses” were gospel — corporations, industries and governments nudged, bribed, and blitzed us until these marketing myths felt like common sense. Here are 15 beliefs that started as ads, PR campaigns, and propaganda — and the weird stories behind them.
Shampoo ads taught us to equate glossy hair with hygiene — daily scrubs and stripped oils = success for shampoo makers and repeat customers.
Post-WWII ad campaigns linked buying stuff to fulfillment and the “American Dream,” so spending became the short path to feeling good (and keeping the economy humming).
Governments used posters, radio and film during WWI and WWII to frame wars as moral necessities — a long, effective push that turned conflict into civic virtue for many.
Citrus growers in the 1920s bankrolled medical endorsements to turn OJ into a must-have breakfast staple — because a vitamin spin can sell a whole industry.
Greeting-card and flower companies spent the early 20th century convincing us that romance equals purchases, and voilà: obligatory roses and boxed chocolates.
Cereal companies (looking at you, Kellogg’s) hyped breakfast to boost sales — the “most important meal” tagline stuck around long after the ad budgets did.
Mid-century dairy campaigns and government support made milk seem essential — even though many populations are lactose-intolerant and the pitch was more industry than science.
A single misplaced decimal about iron content, plus Popeye cartoons, turned spinach into a superfood myth — a great origin story for a leafy green’s hype.
The 1992 food pyramid reflected the influence of grain and dairy lobbyists, tilting official dietary advice toward their products more than balanced nutrition.
De Beers didn’t just sell gemstones — they invented forever. Their mid-century campaign made diamonds the universal symbol of eternal love and scarcity (even though supply was carefully engineered).
Early cigarette ads used celebrity and bogus doctor endorsements to normalize smoking — a ruthless marketing push that downplayed the harm for decades.
The infamous 1992 case was spun into a PR myth of a ridiculous lawsuit, but the reality involved serious injuries and a company refusing to cover medical care.
Coca-Cola’s 1930s holiday ads standardized Santa’s red-and-white look worldwide — a branding move so successful we assume it’s age-old tradition.
Candy and soda brands marketed sugar as a quick energy boost, reframing an addictive substance as a harmless pick-me-up.
That “8x8” rule traces back to a misread military hydration guideline and has been amplified by bottled water marketing ever since.
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