How In The Heck Do You Spot Subliminal ADS?

That was not a real test. The Goverment jump the gun. That test was later disproved. Subliminal Ads do not necessary work. Tapes are made of them and they do not necessary work. Now the Affirmations or hypnosist that is a different story.

Originally Posted by Sandi Bowman

Subliminal ads are everywhere. They tend to do one of two things: either get so familiar they no longer register and are largely ignored by the general public (as in the bikini clads and the hunks in ads) or they become a turn-off instead of the motivator as intended because people just get fed up with them. That is not to say that, during the majority of their lifespan, subliminal advertising is not effective...it certainly is!

The illegality part is when ads are 'flashed' so quickly that they fail to register in the consciously aware part of the brain at all. This was the case particularly at the old drive in theaters where popcorn ads were flashed so quickly that people didn't actually 'see' them and have the image register in their conscious mind so they could exercise free will in making a purchase or not decision. That's what they tried to outlaw. In some experiments I did some years back, they failed because some of the flash ads still appeared.

If you want to resist the subtle messages, just be extra aware that any time you 'see' a flash of light or dark that looks like a very quick computer glitch, you've probably seen an ad. I automatically discount any leanings toward purchasing anything that is advertised during the show or whatever I am viewing if that happens.

Sandi Bowman

Try you might give me all the blinking ads for meat and because I haven't eaten meat for 20 years no blinking ad can make me do it. I know that.

Now I do eat fish occassionly but not every day or week or even monthly.

Joe, while you are right that the initial test by the government was later disproved, it by no means disproves the entire theory. In fact, later tests substantiated the fact that subliminal advertising can be devastatingly effective, at least the first time a subject is exposed to an ad.

One subsequent test they did on popcorn in an indoor theater, increased the sales and consumption of popcorn during the following intermission ect by an astonishing 60% over their previous highest sales record! Things have dramatically improved since then with refinements and that record is no longer that impressive comparatively, but it has been proven over and over that subliminal advertising (especially positive associations as in flashy cars, big house, sexy partners ect) are effective. If they weren't, why would we be seeing so many of them? Think about it...then update your research.

I stayed on top of it because it was a major part of my job at one time...and psychology was/is my major interest of study in college and out of it.

Sandi Bowman

[Ankesh]

Not definative, but a Good read:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subliminal_message

Most interesting, Ankesh. Thanks for sharing. I've been o-u-t of this sort of thing for quite a few years now and I guess it shows.

Still, the associations type of thing is used more and more these days...just about everywhere it seems.

One study I read some time ago showed that ASSOCIATIVE IMAGES were what people were responding to, when they responded. It seems that is what was working, when it worked. Something the person would ordinarily desire anyway is simply reinforced. If it's outside the person's desireable range, it has no effect. Probably explains why the conflicting reports on effectiveness.

A quick check shows that most commonly used associative advertising falls into some very common "good things most folks want" so they must've found something to it...or they're just being lemmings and following the leader?

Sandi Bowman