When core beliefs are formed

That chart shows how our perception of time shrinks as we age. The first 21 years feel massive, while the rest of life seems to blur together. It’s not just about memory—it’s about mindset.

Marketing analysis

If someone’s core beliefs form before age 21, those early experiences shape how they spend, save, and trust brands. Depression-era kids valued thrift. Millennials who grew up in the 2008 crash favor value and transparency.

Why it works

• Anchoring: Early experiences set lifelong benchmarks for price, risk, and trust.
• Nostalgia marketing: Familiar cues trigger comfort and emotion.
• Generational empathy: Speak to the worldview your audience was shaped by.

Examples

• Coca-Cola leans on “classic” branding to connect with boomers.
• Nike taps youth rebellion with “Just Do It.”
• Airbnb sells “belonging” to a generation shaped by loneliness and mobility.
• LEGO revived sales by marketing nostalgia to adults who played as kids.