Every year it's the same story. On the third Monday of January, the media and retailers try to convince us that it is Blue Monday—the most depressing day of the year. Except that behind this story lies a huge marketing hoax.
Discover our latest podcast
What is Blue Monday?
It's a mathematical formula signed by Cliff Arnall. The formula is as follows:
[W + (D-d)] x TQ
M x NA
Don't understand? No problem, we'll explain it to you.
Basically, you take the weather, then you add the difference between your debts accumulated since Christmas minus your next salary. You then multiply it by the time since Christmas power to the number of days since you set your New Year's resolutions.
You divide all that happy mess by the product of lack of motivation and the need to act. And there you have your blue day equation!
Still don't get it? Of course not.
It's an equation that is scientifically incalculable. For example: how do you calculate the lack of motivation? Or the need to act?
Blue Monday is a commercial from 2005
It's all a huge PR stunt from 2005 by a travel agency called Sky Travel, which sent it to several universities for them to validate the study via one of their experts. And that's how you create fake news... with a scientist. Except that since 2010, Cliff Arnall has admitted that it was fake. But the news keeps on rolling.
According to a study conducted by the Money and Mental Health Institute on people with mental health issues, 9 out of 10 people are willing to spend more money when they are depressed. Why would they do this? To try and cheer themselves up... All's well, except that shopping triggers feelings of guilt. So we get depressed again. And if we get depressed, we buy... In short, you understand the little vicious circle.
