Frame the attribute positively

"75% lean" beats "25% fat" — the same fact, framed by its better-sounding attribute.

Why it works

When a single attribute is described, the positive frame evokes positive associations and the negative frame negative ones, biasing evaluation even though the information is logically identical. The brain encodes the valence of the words, not just the underlying ratio.

How to do it

1. State a single attribute in its truthful positive form where appropriate ("95% effective").
2. Keep it honest — the positive frame must be a real description, not a half-truth.
3. When the negative is the point (a warning), use the negative frame deliberately.

Evidence

Attribute framing (e.g. lean vs fat, success vs failure rate) reliably shifts evaluations in decision-research experiments. Levin and Gaeth found that beef labeled "75% lean" was rated better-tasting than the same beef labeled "25% fat," even after participants ate it. (rct)

The effect is on perception, not facts; reframing can’t change reality and shouldn’t be used to imply it does.

Sources

• Levin, I. P., & Gaeth, G. J. (1988). How consumers are affected by the framing of attribute information before and after consuming the product. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(3), 374–378.
• Levin, I. P., Schneider, S. L., & Gaeth, G. J. (1998). All frames are not created equal: A typology and critical analysis of framing effects. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 76(2), 149–188.

Common mistake

Treating a positive frame as license to omit the negative side, which crosses from framing into deception.