[Ads-l] fud

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Wiktionary has an entry, and Wikipedia has an article, but I do not
see FUD with the germane sense in the OED.
Also, I could not find a pertinent webpage on Barry Popik's website.

Wiktionary webpage for FUD
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/FUD

[Begin excerpt]
FUD
(derogatory) Acronym of Fear, uncertainty, and doubt, a marketing
strategy involving the spread of worrisome information or rumors about
a product.
[End excerpt]

Wikitionary does not seem to have any pertinent citation.

Garson

On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 12:23 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Here is an example in September 1975.
>
> Date: September 15, 1975
> Newspaper: The Sacramento Bee
> Newspaper Location: Sacramento, California
> Article: (Advertisement for an Educational Seminar from Southgate
> Recreation & Park District in Sacramento, California)
> Quote Page C17, Column 2
> Database: Newspapers.com
>
> https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sacramento-bee/90010472/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> SUFFERING FROM "FUD" COMPLEX?
> Fear Uncertainty Doubt?
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 12:12 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
> <adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > The Wikipedia entry for "Fear, uncertainty, and doubt" presents 1975
> > citations for FUD.
> >
> > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki "Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt"
> >
> > [Begin excerpt]
> > The similar formulation "doubts, fears, and uncertainties" first
> > appeared in 1693.[4][5] The phrase "fear, uncertainty, and doubt"
> > first appeared in the 1920s.[6][7] It is also sometimes rendered as
> > "fear, uncertainty, and disinformation".[8]
> >
> > By 1975, "FUD" was appearing in contexts of marketing, sales,[9] and
> > in public relations:[10]
> >
> > One of the messages dealt with is FUD—the fear, uncertainty and doubt
> > on the part of customer and sales person alike that stifles the
> > approach and greeting.[9]
> >
> > [Footnote 9]  "The search for self". Clothes. 10 (14–24). New York,
> > NY, USA: PRADS, Inc.: 19 1975-10-01. Archived from the original on
> > 2024-09-06. Retrieved 2011-06-10. […] One of the messages dealt with
> > is FUD—the fear, uncertainty and doubt on the part of customer and
> > sales person alike that stifles the approach and greeting. […]
> >
> >  [Footnote 10] Harris, Rhonda (1998). The Complete Sales Letter Book.
> > Armonk: Sharpe Professional. ISBN 0-7656-0083-8.
> > [End excerpt]
> >
> > Garson
> >
> > On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 10:20 AM Jonathan Lighter
> > <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > Thanks for the tip.
> > >
> > > 1991 _Richmond Times-Dispatch_ (Aug. 11) Business Sec.1 [GenealogyBank]:
> > > Fud is short for fear, uncertainty, and doubt, says John L. McElroy, Jr.,
> > > Wheat's chairman and chief executive officer.
> > >
> > > 1994 _L.A. Times_ (Oct. 30) B-10 [Nespapers.com]: Fear, uncertainty, and
> > > doubt...The FUD Factor."
> > >
> > > JL
> > >
> > > On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 9:54 AM Dennis During <
> > > 00001bcaf94bd005-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > >
> > > > I had heard of FUD as the reason why IT guys (in the days of Big  Iron)
> > > > bought IBM products. "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM."
> > > >
> > > > On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 8:43 AM Jonathan Lighter <
> > > > 00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Chip Massey, former FBI hostage negotiator, on CNN this morning:
> > > > >
> > > > > "We call this 'fud' - 'fear, uncertainty, and doubt.'"  (As experienced
> > > > by
> > > > > crime victims and families."
> > > > >
> > > > > JL
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
> > > > truth."
> > > > >
> > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Dennis C. During
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org