With access to unlimited resources, the advertising industry spends a whole lot of money researching how to make people buy products. While some advertisers still focus on the quality of their product, others have turned to other means – subliminal advertising.

What is subliminal advertising?

Subliminal, by definition, means something below a certain level. As applied to advertising, subliminal advertising can then be defined as advertising below the threshold of conscious perception. It is packaged in such a way that the thoughts and actions of the target audience are being influenced subconsciously by the ads they see or hear without actually being aware of it. After quite some amount of research, the advertisers were able to find eight hidden needs in the human psyche – emotional security, reassurance of worth, ego-gratification, creative outlets, immortality, love objects, sense of roots and sense of power. These needs, or vulnerabilities, in some people were used to their advantage and these areas were targeted to influence the behavior of the consumers.

How did it all start?

The idea that the power of subliminal advertising is manipulative appears to have originated back in 1957 with an advertising promoter named James Vicary. He claimed to have increased the popcorn and coke sales by a significant amount by flashing the messages "Hungry – Eat Popcorn" and "Drink Coca-Cola" for just a few seconds in a New Jersey cinema. Although this claim was revealed to be a hoax and no one has since been able to duplicate the experiment, the belief continued to linger: that subliminal advertising can be controlling, and thus, effective.

How effective is it?

A number of tests have since been conducted to deduce the effectiveness of subliminal advertising. One group was believed to have experimented with several participants. Half of them were subliminally primed with the brand name Lipton Ice, while the other half were primed without a brand. After the study, it was found out that those subliminally primed with the brand name wanted Lipton Ice when they got thirsty while those primed without a brand didn't really care. A second study was again conducted among the same participants by giving them salty candy to make them thirsty. Again, those who were exposed to the Lipton Ice message asked for it. This went on to further strengthen the argument that subliminal advertising works - and works quite well. Numerous industries have since then used subliminal advertising in a bid to win over the masses.

Hit or Miss

While subliminal advertising continues to be a recognizable part of advertising culture, there has been no evidence to suggest that it is possible to learn if one is not consciously aware of its effects. Several studies have been conducted, and these show that one cannot remember material if it is presented in a subliminal manner. This means that if the brain can't register it, it is then unlikely to have any effect on the consumers. Given the scientific research, consumers need not worry about being manipulated psychologically by subliminal advertising. Its ability to influence a person's behavior has been greatly exaggerated. Some advertisers may be willing to spend a lot of money on it, but it is yet to be scientifically proven to be definitely effective.