The Mandela Effect occurs in situations in which the public’s collective memory recalls something a certain way… when in reality that memory is inaccurate. In advertising, it often happens when we believe that a logo, a slogan, or an advertisement “was always like this,” while that isn’t really true. Collective memory sometimes gets it wrong, and brands can use that misconception to generate conversation, nostalgia, and impact.
Real examples in campaigns and brands:
• Coca-Cola: Many people “remember” that the logo had a ~ in the name (i.e., “Coca-Cola” vs “Coca Cola”). The script does exist, but the confusion has generated thousands of organic mentions and viral debates that promote the brand.
• KitKat: For years, consumers claimed that the logo had a – in the middle (“Kit-Kat”). It never did. The brand took advantage of this confusion in digital conversations to reinforce recall without investing in advertising.
• Volkswagen: Many remember the logo with the space between the V and the W. In reality, the change was official in 2019, but the false memory made the redesign look “familiar,” reducing rejection of the logo adjustment.
• Monopoly: While not an example of an advertising campaign per say, millions believe that the Monopoly character has a monocle (not true). This false memory has been used in graphic pieces and nostalgic cultural references.
The Mandela Effect demonstrates the what people remember, is actually more important than what you communicate. Understanding how these erroneous collective memories can be used to create campaigns that play off nostalgia, surprise and social conversation will give you three key ingredients to a viral campaign.
Tomilli