How to Market a Product’s Age

When it comes to products, age is a fact. But how you describe that age? That’s where perception starts doing the heavy lifting.

A recent study published in the Journal of Marketing Research looks at a deceptively simple question:
Does it matter whether you describe a product as being from a specific year versus a length of time ago?

Short answer: A lot.

Two Ways to Say the Same Thing

The researchers compared consumer reactions to products described in two mathematically identical ways:

• “From 2016”
• “10 years old”

Even though both descriptions refer to the same age, people didn’t experience them the same way.

Describing age as a length of time (“10 years old”) made the product feel older — more substantial, more established, and more psychologically distant. Referring to a calendar year (“from 2016”) felt more neutral, and in some cases, subtly newer.

When “Old” Helps — and When It Hurts

This framing effect matters because age doesn’t always mean the same thing across categories.

• When age adds value (think wine, whiskey, cheese, heritage brands):
  Saying “10-year-old” increased perceived quality and willingness to pay.
• When age subtracts value (used goods, technology, cars):
  Referencing the year instead (“2016 model”) made products feel less dated — and sometimes more desirable.

Same product. Same age. Different mental shortcut.

Why This Matters for Marketers

This isn’t about clever copy. It’s about how people process time.

Consumers don’t experience time objectively. We experience it through language, context, and meaning. A “decade” feels longer than a date on a calendar. A year feels anchored. One stretches. The other situates.

• Small wording choices can influence perceived value
• Time framing can affect pricing, positioning, and expectations
• “Accuracy” isn’t just factual — it’s psychological

Bottom Line

If you’re marketing something where age is a strength, let people feel the time that’s passed. If age is a liability, anchor it calmly to a year and move on. Same truth. Different framing. Very different outcomes.

And that’s exactly why understanding human perception, not just product features, is where smarter decisions begin.

Curious how your brand is being perceived? Give InsideHeads a jingle for a free consultation.