Since the 1950’s, the idea of subliminal messaging and whether or not it is successfully used in advertising has been a topic which greatly interests American society. Often seen as an urban legend, subliminal messaging supposedly embeds images and sounds into advertisements in an effort to manipulate the viewer. Despite the controversy over the ethics and truth of subliminal messaging, advertising companies do, in fact, use such techniques to successfully sell their products.
The idea of subliminal messaging and hidden images was first introduced in the 1950’s by Vance Packard, author of The Hidden Persuaders (Leonard 1). In his book he discusses the techniques which advertising firms use in their attempts to further the sales of their products. Some of these techniques include hiding images, text, and sounds just below the viewer’s conscious recollection. The viewer’s subconscious mind, however, picks up on these embeds and they then enter the mind and influence thought.
Packard’s book influenced public culture a great deal. Since its publishing, society has been obsessed with subliminal messaging and its potential effects on the mind. Conspiracy theorists often spend a great deal of time analyzing and theorizing on the advertising technique, finding examples everywhere and linking it to the government, evil corporations, and any number of other things. The vast conspiracy theories surrounding subliminal messaging do little to convince skeptics of the seriousness and truthfulness of the issue. Despite this, subliminal messaging is a true marketing technique which is used regularly and commonly by advertising agencies.
Advertising agencies are constantly looking for techniques to further the success of their products. If hidden images, sounds, and text will do this for them, they will not shy away from it. Todd Stark, a psychology and computer science major, explains that “if we use the term subliminal in the way that it is commonly used, to mean any sort of hidden message, then yes, advertisers do frequently hide their message” (Stark). Rather than being an unethical practice, subliminal messaging and hidden persuaders are simply another successful technique of selling products.
There are many different types of subliminal messaging, all of which are successful. The most common form is the use of color to influence the viewers. This is used in every form of media, from advertisements to movies. When one thinks of subliminal messaging, this technique is not generally thought of, as it seems so common-place as to not be of notice. Most people do not even pick up on the use of color to manipulate the viewer.
Colors inherently invoke certain thoughts and emotions when seen. People are often told to wear certain colors when they are feeling sad or need an energy boost. Red, for instance, invokes thoughts and feelings of passion (Dorfman). Blue is often calming, and browns and yellows make one think of nature. Advertising companies use specific colors for certain items to make the viewer unconsciously feel a certain way. These feelings are then associated with the product, unbeknownst to the viewer. This stays with the viewer, in their subconscious, and it is likely that these feelings will forever be associated with the product. If you want to feel cool, calm, and collected, you will be very likely to purchase a product that used cool colors rather than something bland or dark in color.
The same idea applies to the sounds and music used in commercials. Commercials for sports cars, and the like, use fast-paced music to make the viewer excited and force them to relate their car to excitement, adrenalin, etc. The same commercial with country music or a laid-back style would not have the same effect.
These simple techniques are used constantly by every form of media. Though some claim that this is unethical, it is simply successful advertising. A huge part of advertising and graphic design deals with looking at the colors and sounds of an ad and seeing which aspects need to be tweaked for optimum success. Advertisers simply use humankind’s natural association with colors and sound to influence them.
The more infamous form of subliminal messaging is that of imbedded images, sounds, and words in advertisements. It is claimed that advertisers place images of high emotion in their ads, hidden in plain sight so that the viewer does not notice but so that the subconscious mind picks up on it and is the influenced. The hidden images are often sexual or violent in nature, as sex and violence are known to naturally evoke high emotions in everyone. These hidden images, when perceived by the subconscious mind, force the viewer to become excited or stimulated and then this feeling is related, unconsciously, to the product, making the viewer want to purchase it.
Liquor ads have been targeted many times for apparently putting sexual images in the ice and the bottles of their graphic ads. Some graphic designers have purposely placed random images in their ads as blatant examples of subliminal messaging and as a form of entertainment. Eleftheria, author for ADWEEK, explains:
“Below the headline [of a liquor ad] -‘Some see a naked woman in the ice cubes. Others simply see the need for more Chivas’-three ice cubes sit in the remains of a scotch on the rocks. Once you find the naked woman (at the top of the lower right cube), she can’t be missed, says Zach Watkins, associate creative director at Brand Architecture” (Parpis 1).
Embedded text is also used in advertising. Short phrases or keywords are placed in the background of an image or put on a single frame in a commercial. The conscious mind does not pick up on the words as they are hidden or move too fast for it to see. However, the subconscious mind is always awake and observant, and it sees the word and is influenced by it. Television and mindlessly flipping through advertisements lulls the conscious mind into a trance-like sleepy state, allowing the subconscious mind to have more control. Subliminal messaging is especially useful in television because of this trance-like state and the messages can enter the mind much more easily.
Sounds are also placed into advertisements in an effort to influence shoppers. Many stores have admitted to playing anti-theft messages behind the store’s music and they claim that theft rates dropped dramatically in their stores (Boire 72). Richard Boire, author of “Laced Media” in The Journal of Cognitive Liberties, states that “Time magazine reported in 1979 that messages such as ‘I am an honest person’ and ‘Stealing is dishonest’ were being utilized in over fifty department stores” (Boire 72).
Advertising agencies often claim that subliminal messaging is impossible and unethical and that they do not use it. However, it is obvious that subliminal messaging is, indeed, rampant throughout the media. The most common form of subliminal messaging, the use of color and music, is used daily, everywhere. Stark explains that “the perceptible, the imperceptible, and the symbolic are combined to create a lasting impression on the audience” (Stark). Look at any commercial and you will see these techniques.
As for the other forms of subliminal messaging, there is much evidence to support its use. Though no one seems to want to admit to it, subliminal messaging is used in modern times, regularly. Currently, in Russia, the country’s government is openly working on developing technology which will uncover subliminal messages and prevent them (Startseva). Russia’s television is saturated with hidden messages, flashing text, and embedded references to other products, so much so that the government has a special plan of action to stop it (Dixon 1). The Russian government claims that subliminal messaging is present in nearly all media channels of the country and, since technology has improved, the hidden messages are embedded so well that they are hard to discover. The new technology will search ads and programs and find any unneeded frames, blank frames, etc. that may be an attempt at subliminal messaging. Subliminal messaging is illegal in Russia and is quickly being taken care of.
Japan is also beginning to look at subliminal messaging in their country. As discussed in United Press International article on the subject, “Japan has started a probe into the use of controversial subliminal messaging in aired TV programs about the Japanese cult Aum Supreme Truth, a government official said Friday” (Japan 1). Pictures of the Aum leaders were inserted quickly alongside pictures of historical traitors, apparently in the effort to equate the leaders to treason and develop a negative image of them (Japan 1).
In our own country subliminal messaging has been discovered in political campaigns. In 2000, a Republican ad ran attacking Gore’s campaign. Hidden within this advertisement was the word “rats” which flashed quickly on the screen, as describes Richard Boire. “It recently came to light that a political advertisement for George W. Bush subliminally flashed the word “RATS” when criticizing Al Gore’s prescription medicine plan” (Boire). An observant viewer happened to notice something funny and the incidence was investigated. The hidden message was, indeed, found embedded in the commercial. The Republican party and the makers of the commercial continue to claim that no subliminal messaging was intended or approved but all signs point to yes (Crowley).
On a less political level, subliminal messaging is constantly related to Disney. On any number of occasions the Disney corporation has been accused of including hidden images and phrases in their movies. Phallic symbols, curse words, and sexual references apparently abound in Disney movies of all sorts, though no action has ever been taken against the corporation (Fisher).
Scientists and interest group are constantly studying subliminal messaging and its apparent effects on the human mind. In one case, Dr. Kenneth Parker at Queens College in New York conducted a study where a group of people were subliminally shown the word “plastic.” When later asked to make a word that started with “pla,” all participants chose to write plastic (Fisher).
Quite obviously subliminal messaging is used daily by the advertising industry, on both a local and national level. However, the debate still rages as to whether subliminal messaging is actually successful. Many claim that, if the conscious mind misses it, the whole mind missed it. The subconscious mind does not pick up on anything and, if it does, it doesn’t influence opinions or thoughts. Others claim that subliminal messaging does, indeed, work.
The theory behind subliminal messaging is to present hidden images, etc. to a person. Malinda Briggs, who has conducted subliminal messaging experiments at Moore High School, states that “subliminal messaging is a process by which visual or auditory persuasives are hidden amidst other information such that the subconscious mind is aware of the message, but the conscience self is not” (Briggs). These images are shown just below the threshold of the conscious mind and, therefore, only the subconscious mind picks up on it. This prevents the conscious mind from analyzing and rejecting the sound, image, etc. and, because of this, the images and idea surrounding it gain access to the mind and can influence the viewer. This principle is applied to subliminal messaging in advertising as well as self-help videos and CDs (Phelps and Exum).
The subconscious mind and the conscious mind work at the same time but are rather independent of each other. The conscious mind is our literal thinking mind which we control. This is the mind that analyzes the data which we take in. The subconscious mind works on its own, without us knowing it, as our breathing and heartbeat does (Moore). We cannot stop it or control it, and we’re not aware of what it picks up on. However, as it is part of our mind, whatever images, sounds, feeling, etc. that it picks up on do filter into our mind and influence us without the interruption of the conscious mind.
Subliminal messaging is a very successful form of advertising, influencing the viewer more personally than other techniques. From the very basic to the complex embedded messages, subliminal messaging is a useful and creative way to get the message across and increase sales. Subliminal messaging is not unethical but creative, taking our limited knowledge on the human mind and using it to a great benefit. Just look around you daily and you will find many examples of subliminal messaging.
Works Cited
Boire, Richard Glen. “Laced Media.” The Journal of Cognitive Liberties. 1 (Fall 2003): 72-76.
Briggs, Malinda. “The Effects of Subliminal Messaging on the Conscious Mind.”
Moore High School. 17 Nov. 2003.
Crowley, Candy. “Bush says ‘RATS’ ad not meant as subliminal message.” CNN.com. 12 Sept. 2000. 17 Nov. 2003 .
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Dorfman, Marjorie. “The Not So Hidden Persuaders: The Power of Media Upon Us All.” Pop Goes the Culture. 17 Nov. 2003 .
Fisher, Tony. “Subliminal Messages Alive and Well.” Komar’s Korner. 17 Nov. 2003 < http://komar.cs.stthomas.edu/qm425/fisher3.htm>.
“Japan to Probe TV Ads.” United Press International 16 June 1995: 1. Lexis-Nexis. Reed Elsevier Inc. Villa Julie College Library, Stevenson, MD. 30 October 2003 .
Leonard, Mark. “Sinister Secrets of the Ad Men.” New Statesman. 127 (1998): 20.
Moore, Timothy E. Subliminal Perception: Facts and Fallacies.” Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Spring 1992: 4.
Parpis, Eleftheria. “Creative; Hide and Seek; The myth of subliminal messagesendures for a reason. Advertising does use them-sort of.” ADWEEK 31 Mar. 2003, natl. ed.: 4 pg. Lexis-Nexis. Reed Elsevier Inc. Villa Julie College Library, Stevenson, MD. 30 October 2003 .
Phelps, Brady J. and Exum, Mary E. “Subliminal Tapes: How to Get the Message Across.” Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. Spring 1992: 4.
Startseva, Alla. “State Has Its Eye on Subliminal TV Ads.” The Moscow Times 26 June 2002: No. 2465. Lexis-Nexis. Reed Elsevier Inc. Villa Julie College Library, Stevenson, MD. 30 October 2003 .
Stark, Todd I. “Is Subliminal Influence Used in Advertising?” Subliminal Persuasion. Feb. 1999. 17 Nov. 2003 .
