Denis Diderot, a French philosopher of the 18th century, would hardly have dreamed that his name would one day be synonymous with a psychological phenomenon in modern marketing. But that is exactly the case. The Diderot effect describes how a single new possession can influence our perception and purchasing behaviour - with far-reaching consequences for companies and consumers alike.
The story behind the Diderot effect
Diderot, known as one of the editors of the famous Encyclopédielived in relative modesty for many years. But one day his life changed abruptly: he received a large sum of money in recognition of his work. With this wealth, he treated himself to a luxurious new dressing gown - a splendid, deep red robe that outshone everything he had previously owned.
Suddenly, the rest of his furnishings seemed old-fashioned and out of place. His new possession had triggered a chain reaction. Gradually, Diderot replaced furniture, decoration and everyday objects in order to adapt them to the new standard. In his essay Regrets for My Old Dressing Gown ("Regret about my old dressing gown") he wrote:
"I was the absolute master of my old dressing gown. Now I have become the slave of the new one."
This was the core of the phenomenon: a new item can change the entire consumer behaviour and tempt people to make further purchases. Today, this mechanism is known as Diderot effect and companies use it skilfully in their marketing.
The Diderot effect in marketing
The Diderot effect describes a psychological chain reactionwhich is triggered by the purchase of a new product. People have the need for Consistencybe it in their lifestyle, their aesthetics or their social status. As soon as a new product upsets this balance, the desire to buy more matching items arises.
Why does the Diderot effect work so well?
- Psychological coherence: People strive for uniformity in their possessions. A single new product can create an imbalance that can only be offset by further purchases.
- Social perception: Once you move up into a new category (e.g. by buying an expensive item of clothing), you want to maintain this image.
- Emotional connection: A purchase often arouses emotions that encourage further consumption.
How do companies utilise this effect?
Companies use the Diderot effect strategically to persuade customers to buy more products. Examples of this are
- Upselling & Cross-selling: Customers are presented with a range of complementary items after purchasing a main product.
- luxury segment: A high-quality product often leads to further premium purchases - be it fashion, cars or technology.
- Branding & Lifestyle: Brands such as Apple or Tesla are building complete ecosystems in which customers can move in the long term.
- Subscription models & services: Software providers or streaming services ensure that one-off purchases turn into ongoing investments.
Application in marketing
How can companies make targeted use of the Diderot effect?
- Create experiences: Products should not be viewed in isolation, but should be sold as part of a larger experience. If you buy an espresso machine, you also need special beans, a fine cup and perhaps an online course on how to make the perfect coffee.
- product series and supplements: Retailers such as Amazon specifically display product recommendations ("Customers also bought ...") to reinforce the effect.
- Limited editions: Exclusive or collector's editions are an incentive to convert an entire product range.
- Storytelling utilise: Companies should embed their products in a story to reinforce the desire for consistency.
Conclusion
Denis Diderot was a brilliant thinker - but when it came to consumer behaviour, he was, like all of us, a victim of psychological mechanisms. The Diderot effect shows how a single purchase can change our entire behaviour. For companies, this means that those who manage to design the first purchase as an introduction to a larger product world can retain customers in the long term and achieve higher sales.
Ultimately, that's what it's all about, Consistency in lifestyle and the need for it can be cleverly utilised for strategic marketing. The new dressing gown may have been a curse for Diderot - but it is a blessing for brands.