The Subliminal Messages in Print Advertising The importance of viewing ads critically Ligia Hernandez / Andrea Larson Teaching Media Literacy

What is Subliminal Advertising? Subliminal advertising is a technique of exposing consumers to product pictures, brand names, or other marketing stimuli without the consumers having conscious awareness. Once exposed to a subliminal marketing stimulus, the consumer is believed to decode the information and act upon it without being able to acknowledge a communication stimulus.

When did it begin? Public Advertising" began with the 1957 publication of Vance Packard's book, The Hidden Persuaders. Although Packard did not use the term "subliminal advertising," he did describe many of the new "motivational research" marketing techniques being employed to sell products in the burgeoning post-war American market. Advertisements that focused on consumers' hopes, fears, guilt, and sexuality were designed to persuade them to buy products they'd never realized they needed. Marketers who could reach into the hearts and minds of American consumers soon found consumers' wallets to be within easy grasp as well.

History Cont. In the 1970s, Wilson Bryan Key wrote such books as Subliminal Seduction and Media Sexploitation in which he claimed subliminal sexual symbols or objects are often used to entice consumers to buy and use various products and services. One of Key’s most famous claims is that the word sex was often embedded in products and advertisements.

Key Cont. For example, he claimed that the word sex was printed on Ritz crackers and was embedded in the ice cubes of the drink shown in a well-known ad for Gilbey’s Gin. According to Key, despite the fact the embedded words are not consciously perceived, they are unconsciously perceived and can elicit sexual arousal which in turn makes the products more attractive to consumers.

Ritz/ Gin Ritz Cracker Gin

The Pepsi Cool Can In 1990, Pepsi actually withdrew one of its Cool Can designs after someone protested that Pepsi was subliminally manipulating people by designing the cans such that when six-packs were stacked at grocery stores, the word SEX would emerge from the seemingly random design. Critics alleged that the red and blue lines on the Cool Can design were far from random

Pepsi Cool Can from the 90’s

Camel Tobacco The Camel Tobacco companies have also been the target of accusations of visual embeds. One common alleged embed of sexually suggestive imagery is on the standard pack of Camel cigarettes. Apparently, if you look closely enough at the rear leg of the camel on the cigarette pack, you can see an image of a naked mean standing tall facing the rear of the camel with an erect penis.

Camel Tobacco

Can you find the subliminal here? The steam on the mirror means that someone is showering?If so, then the darker parts reflected in the mirror are the people in the shower?

Newport Ad Note how the woman's head is leaning back, her eyes closed, her mouth open, and her legs up in the air.What is the role of the guy standing over her?

Musk by Alyssa Ashley Note how flushed their faces are. Faces flush when people are sexually aroused.

Candie’s The rocket, a phallic symbol, is blasting off. His middle finger creates the blast off.The target seems to be between her legs.

We invite you… Find your own examples or subliminal messages embedded in print advertising. Look more critically at ads, next time you are exposed to them.

Don’t let advertisers play with: Your mind Your psyche Your impulses Your beliefs Your desires YOU!

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