The Cultural Power Of 3 (And How To Use It To Get Ahead) 

Three beats in a joke. Three acts in a story. Three movements in a classical concerto. Three primary colours shaping all we see. Fairytales obsess over three trials, three wishes, three little pigs. Sun, rising, moon – the golden trio of astrology. Harry, Ron and Hermoine – the holy trinity of fantasy. Destiny’s Child’s most iconic era – Beyoncé, Kelly, Michelle. And now? Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist locked in a messy ménage à trois in Challengers.

Everywhere you look: slogans, music groups, narratives – you name it – are grouped in three. This is no arbitrary cultural quirk. It’s a cognitive shortcut, a psychological principle and a storytelling essential. Why? Because the brain loves patterns, and three is the tipping point where randomness turns into recognition. “People always ask me, ‘What’s the difference between a trend and a fad?’” says Rohit Bhargava, trend curator and bestselling author of Non-Obvious Thinking. “A fad is one example of someone doing something. A trend has to have at least three.”

Indeed, in a digital landscape where trends flicker and fade in the time it takes to refresh your feed, the rule of three acts as a survival mechanism – a litmus test that helps us separate noise from substance. As Bhargava explains, “This becomes the barrier line where we ask: Do we take this seriously? Are there enough signals behind it for us to say, ‘Yes, this is worth paying attention to’?”

This isn’t just coincidence; it’s rooted in a principle known as the “triadic structure” – a cognitive bias that makes information presented in threes more digestible, memorable and persuasive than other numbers, says Bhargava. Centuries of reinforcement – from ancient rhetoric to modern marketing – have only solidified its power. Roman emperors, political speechwriters and branding masterminds alike have all wielded the magic of three to shape perception and influence behaviour. 

Just look at any marketing. Imagine if Nike’s iconic slogan had an extra word. Just do it... now? Or if McDonald’s ditched the three-word structure: I’m really lovin’ it? Just awful. “The rhythmic nature of three makes it catchy and memorable,” says Bhargava, who adds that consumer behaviour psychologists actively leverage this principle to craft messaging that sticks.

I can attest to this firsthand. When I first started out, I quickly learnt the golden rule of journalism: One is a fluke. Two is a coincidence. Three? Now, that’s an article. It’s why a single celebrity wearing ballet flats doesn’t spark a comeback – but when three do, suddenly everyone’s feet are back in 2013. A viral tweet might get a laugh, but when three thought leaders latch onto the same idea? That’s a trend piece in a Service95 brainstorm. One TV show about a dysfunctional, morally compromised rich family is intriguing, but three? Now we’ve got a full-blown genre, and we’re all rewatching Succession for the Roys, whilst patiently awaiting the new season of The White Lotus to judge our favourite entitled vacationers.

Whether in art, branding or everyday life, three is the sweet spot – where things stick, where fleeting moments become memorable, and where cultural moments solidify into movements. And once you learn to spot it, you can learn to use its power, too.

3 Ways To Harness The Power Of Three

1. Use Three Touchpoints To Build A Lasting Impression – People form opinions based on patterns. Whether it’s your online presence or brand identity, three consistent signals create a lasting impression, says Bhargava, who calls this “the second conversation”. If all three reinforce the same narrative, they build credibility. If they conflict, they create confusion. Be intentional about what your “three” say about you. “If you’re just on a social media platform, then someone looks at your website and then your LinkedIn, make sure they are aligned in how you want to present yourself,” says Bhargava.

2. Introduce An Element Of Surprise – The beauty of three isn’t just in its ability to validate—it’s in its ability to disrupt. It’s a pattern until it’s a punchline, a trend until it’s a subversion, a formula until someone breaks it. “In storytelling, having three things can also be enough to generate surprise. Something happens to one person, and the same thing happens to a second person, which sets up a pattern. By then having a different thing happen to a third person, it creates surprise by breaking the pattern,” recommends Jonah Berger, Wharton professor and bestselling author of Contagious. Audiences are wired to recognise patterns, so whether crafting an Instagram caption or writing a presentation, lull people into a false rhythm and break it on the third beat – you’re guaranteed to catch attention.

3. Implement The Three-Option Rule When Negotiating – When pitching a project, negotiating a salary or selling an idea, offering three options increases your chances of success, recommends Bhargava. For example, when presenting a proposal, include a baseline option (the minimum viable offer), a mid-tier option (the most balanced and attractive), and a premium option (the ambitious stretch goal). People are naturally drawn to the middle choice, making it a powerful tool for guiding decisions in your favour.