Episode Five: 10,000 Steps Later
Ever wonder how the idea of walking 10,000 steps a day became the gold standard for health?
On your wrist. On your phone. Buzzing at you while you pace your kitchen at 11:47 p.m.
Spoiler: it did not come from science.
Episode Five of Lies We Bought explores the true origin of the 10,000-step goal and how a number invented in the 1960s quietly became a global wellness commandment. What began as a clever marketing slogan turned into a daily moral metric through timing, repetition, and behavioral psychology.
This episode examines the psychology behind step counts, the marketing strategies that scaled them, and how a number designed to feel helpful can quietly shape behavior, guilt, and identity.
Uncover The Marketing Lies We Bought
Step inside Lies We Bought, the podcast that exposes the stories, slogans, and psychology behind the ads that shaped our lives. From “Breakfast is the most important meal” to “Diamonds are forever,” discover how marketing molded modern culture, and what it says about us today.
Hosted by marketer and storyteller Emily Rask, Lies We Bought peels back decades of consumer manipulation and media influence to reveal the truth behind the brands we trusted most. Listen, laugh, and rethink the slogans that defined a generation.
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If there’s a slogan, trend, or “truth” that needs unpacking, send it in. We’re always taking confessions.