Why we can’t look away from before-and-after pictures

• Social cognitive theories are based on observing and learning from observing and seeing outcomes, which is by nature highly motivational.
• We are more likely to internalize or adopt a behaviour if we believe that the outcome is positive and achievable.
• Before-and-afters provide proof that certain outcomes are possible.
• They are also great marketing.

The Federal Trade Commission has strict guidelines about verbiage in these types of ads.

Diets frequently fail, which is why so often you’ll see in the fine print of dramatic weight loss pictures: “Results not typical.".

Facebook has also banned these pictures in advertising on its platform.

WW, a company with a history of dramatically debuting the weight loss of various celebrity endorsers in big ad reveals, banned the use of before and after images in its ads in 2018.