Which feels further away: the year 2016, or ten years ago? And which seems closer—2036, or ten years from now? Although these expressions describe the same points in time, they do not feel the same. New research shows that the way time is framed, either as a calendar year or as a length of time, can subtly but powerfully shape how people experience the past and future, with real consequences for consumer decisions.
The research demonstrates that time-based language influences how much value people attach to products and experiences. This matters because references to time are everywhere in everyday life and marketing. Consider a bottle of whisky described as “10 years old” versus one distilled in 2015 and bottled in 2025. While both indicate the same age, consumers do not respond to them in the same way, and one framing can lead people to pay more than the other.
Similar language appears across many markets: five-year mortgages, 2020 model cars, second-hand items described as “bought two years ago,” vintage wines, or furniture ads promising “don’t pay until next year.” These descriptions might appear interchangeable, yet they can create distinct impressions. The research finds that when time is expressed as a length, such as “10 years old,” people tend to perceive it as longer than when the same duration is described using calendar years. This pattern is known as the “year-length effect.”
Whether this effect works in a seller’s favour depends on context. When age adds value, as it often does with whisky, wine, or heritage goods, framing time as a length leads to more favourable perceptions. When age reduces value, as with used or depreciating goods, framing time using years tends to work better. In other words, sellers benefit from making time feel longer when longevity matters, and shorter when newness is desirable.
To test these ideas, the researchers analysed real-world auction data and ran controlled experiments in which participants evaluated products and scenarios described using different time framings. The results were consistent. Whisky auctions showed that bottles described by age fetched prices around nine per cent higher. In contrast, sellers of used goods earned roughly 17 per cent more when they mentioned the purchase year rather than how old the item was.
The effect extends beyond marketing. The researchers argue that time framing can influence important decisions in areas such as retirement saving, responses to climate change, or medical choices. This happens because people perceive differences between large numbers as smaller than differences between small ones. Our mental number line is logarithmic: the jump from 2020 to 2021 feels smaller than the jump from one to two. Ultimately, there is no universally better way to frame time. What matters is whether it helps time feel nearer or further away, depending on the decision at hand.
More information: Deepak Sirwani et al, When ‘Year’ Feels near: How Year versus Length Framing Alters Time Perception and Consumer Decisions, Journal of Marketing Research. DOI: 10.1177/00222437251399115
Journal information: Journal of Marketing Research Provided by University of British Columbia