Subliminal Foolishness

Often when I tell people that I teach advertising they want to know about subliminal advertising--ads that try to manipulate consumers by using messages below the threshold of conscious perceptions.

I honestly don’t know of such techniques being used, yet it is a matter of faith to many. A 1983 Washington-area survey found an overwhelming majority believing that subliminal advertising is common.

Capitalizing on this belief is the recent proliferation of materials that claim to help us alter our habits. The subliminal tapes to lose weight, stop smoking or think creatively are carried by almost every bookstore. Students often tell me they want to take my advertising courses to learn how (not “if”) subliminal advertising works.

The concept might possess some intuitive appeal, but intuition is not always accurate.

As befitting such a popular topic, the influence of subliminal communications on peoples’ attitudes and behavior has long been the subject of research. But, contrary to popular wisdom, research has never supported the belief that directives from subliminal messages can alter behavior. Numerous studies by objective researchers (meaning people without ties to the advertising business) have found no support for the concept of subliminal advertising being able to control peoples’ behavior.

Quite simply, it is impossible to manipulate people by the use of subliminal advertising.

The myth probably started in the late 1950s with James Vicary’s movie-theater experiment that flashed “Eat Popcorn” and “Buy Coca Cola” on the screen. According to his initial published results, the messages, which were single frames inserted into a newsreel and not consciously seen by the audience, increased popcorn sales by 57.8% and sales of Coke by 18%.

The tale of Vicary’s results, with a few distortions and alterations, has been repeated by many people. It has become an integral part of popular mythology. However, while there are many things that sound true and are repeated by the listeners as facts, an idea does not become true simply because it is often repeated.

And popular wisdom has not included information on later repetitions of Vicary’s experiment, including one that he did under controlled conditions and supervision. The simple fact is that no one has ever been able to get the same results.

Unfortunately, the consumer is not easily convinced. After being told, at great length, the results of all existing research on subliminal persuasion, people still ask, “Well, do some advertisers use subliminal messages in their advertising?”

Maybe they do, maybe they do not. I am not familiar with the work of all advertisers. However, the question is irrelevant.

Advertisers are not as all-knowing as some members of the public would like to believe. Those who might use subliminal messages have no guarantee that the messages will influence people. The popularity of copper bracelets does not mean that they cure arthritis. Faith in the power of Vitamin C does not mean that the product will prevent or cure colds.

If an advertiser wants to waste money on subliminal messages, that is his or her own business.

I really do not know if any advertisers are attempting to use subliminal persuasion and manipulation in their advertising. There might be some who are foolish enough to waste their money. But that’s their problem, not the consumer’s.