We investigate whether forward guidance and large scale asset purchases are effective in steering economic expectations in the USA. Using the series of monetary policy shocks recovered in Swanson (J Monet Econ 118:32-53, 2021), local projections, and an algorithm to select the best empirical model, we show that unconventional monetary policies are effective in tilting economic expectations in a direction consistent with central bankers' will. Our empirical findings provide two more insights: responses to LSAP shocks are stronger than those following a FG shock; responses to contractionary LSAP shocks are larger as compared to those stemming from expansionary ones.