SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING

Submitted by : Abhimanyu Parmar

Subliminal messages are visual or auditory stimuli that the conscious mind cannot
perceive, often inserted into other media such as TV commercials or songs. This kind of
messaging can be used to strengthen or heighten the persuasiveness of advertisements, or
to convey an altogether different message entirely.

True subliminal messages cannot be observed or discovered by the conscious mind, even
if you’re actively looking for them. This is because stimuli to which we respond every
day – the things we see and hear around us – are above the threshold of conscious
perception, unlike subliminal messages, which are below this threshold.

Subliminal advertising involves what your senses can perceive consciously or

subconsciously. The idea is that, by passing messages right by your conscious awareness
and straight to your subconscious, it is possible to directly influence you to do what the
message wants you to do. It is understandable that, given this sensational idea, advertisers
would want to try it out on potential customers.
 EXAMPLES OF SUBLIMINAL ADVERTISING

1. Burger king - In 2009, Burger King launched an advertisement campaign to promote

its new seven-inch burger, which included a single beef patty, American cheese, sauteed
onions, and A-1 steak sauce. It features a surprised-looking woman with her mouth,
facing the product. The caption reads “It’ll blow your mind away.”

2. Amazon - Take a look at the strategically placed arrow to see what I mean.

Why it works: The hidden message here is simple: Amazon sells everything, from A to Z.

It helps of course, that Amazon actually does sell everything. It’s not pushy or salesy,
it’s just a reinforces the channels all-in-one model.The fact the arrow also forms a smile
doesn’t hurt, either.
3. Baskin Robbins - You might know the company sells 31 flavors of ice cream.

But did you also know that Baskin Robbins uses subliminal advertising? In fact, the
company used a subliminal message to promote the number of flavors it sells.

It’s subtle, but it gets the point across. There’s a distinct “31” within the “B” and the “R”.

The company uses that subliminal message to reinforce its well-known unique selling
proposition: a whole lot of flavors to choose from.

4. TOYOTA - Have you ever looked closely at the Toyota logo? If so, you might have
noticed a bit of subliminal advertising in it.The logo looks like a fairly routine car
company graphic. However, if you pay careful attention, you can see that the logo has
meaning.Because the various parts of the graphic can spell out the word “Toyota.”Take a
look at the graphic to the left of the company name in the image below. See if you can
make out letters within it.You can create letters by hiding specific parts of the logo. Then,
you can use the letter you create to spell out the brand name.