• io9
  • science
  • overmind
  • kotaku
  • gizmodo
  • Profile logout login

#subliminalmessages

io9

Share Cancel
   
Upload an image | Add an image URL
×

logging in
  • FAQ. Include # before tag:
  • #observationdeck,
  • #tips,
  • #calendar,
  • etc.

San Francisco, 2:52 AM
Sat Nov 21
26 posts in the last 24 hours

Team

Tip your editors: tips@io9.com

Editor-in-Chief:
Annalee Newitz | Email

News Editor:
Charlie Jane Anders | Email

Associate Editor:
Meredith Woerner | Email

Assistant Editor:
Lauren Davis | Email

Weekend Editor:
Graeme McMillan | Email

Contributors:
Joshua Glenn
Stephen Goldmeier | Email
Ed Grabianowski | Email
Austin Grossman
Paul Hogan | Email
Lauren Davis | Email
Chris Hsiang | Email
Lynn Peril | Email
Ann VanderMeer
Alasdair Wilkins | Email

Graphic Designer:
Stephanie Fox | Email

Interns:
Tim Barribeau | Email
Julia Carusillo | Email
Alex Eichler | Email
Cyriaque Lamar | Email
Caitlin Petrakovitz | Email
Mary Ratliff | Email
Josh Snyder | Email

More:
io9 on Facebook
follow io9 on Twitter

SUBSCRIBE TO io9 RSS

New: Breaking news and daily top stories via email
1428 Subscribers
io9
  • posts about #subliminalmessages more →

    Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative

    You Are Being Programmed By Subliminal Messages

  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Klebert L. Hall Klebert L. Hall
    09/29/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    The study doesn't actually show that, at all.

    What it shows is that people can respond emotionally to very short stimuli.

    This is only tangentially related to whether or not subliminal advertising is effective; the vast majority of studies show it is not.

    Besides, it's been illegal most places for 50 years.
    -Kle.
     Reply
    Klebert L. Hall was starred Klebert L. Hall was unstarred
    Image of comics0026 comics0026
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    Politicians are going to snap this stuff up.
     Reply
    nathanst promoted this comment comics0026 was starred comics0026 was unstarred
    Image of nathanst nathanst
    09/28/09

    @comics0026: This technique has already been utilized by political advertising.

    [news.bbc.co.uk]
     Reply
    nathanst was starred nathanst was unstarred
    Image of Sunshineyness Sunshineyness
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    It always cracks me up when I hear anyone tell me "Oh ads don't work! They never make me want to buy their stuff." It's usually when I roll my eyes and just think "You keep telling that to yourself when presented with a choice in the grocery store you still buy the Coke every time."
     Reply
    Sunshineyness was starred Sunshineyness was unstarred
    Image of Xsuit Xsuit
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    That's kind of surprising cause when I see ads like the one's apple has become known for it makes me want one of their products less.
     Reply
    Sunshineyness promoted this comment Xsuit was starred Xsuit was unstarred
    Image of Sunshineyness Sunshineyness
    09/28/09

    @Xsuit: They make me want to argue with the TV because PC's are completely what you make of them it's impossible to really claim one is "better" than the other aside from personal preference. And I think Mac gets away with competitor bashing because PC is not really a brand but a type of computer than many different companies make. It's not like they said "Dell" or "Hewlett Packard" and "PC" is not a copywrited term or a company in and of itself.

    And if memory serves in the 80's there was a bit of a scandal with Burger King actually mentioning McDonald's by name in their ads as opposed to just saying "leading competitor" or some such.
     Reply
    Edited by Sunshineyness at 09/28/09 5:35 PM Sunshineyness was starred Sunshineyness was unstarred
    Image of nathanst nathanst
    09/28/09

    @Xsuit: Oh good, buy the Palm Pre: the smartphone for nonconformists.
     Reply
    nathanst was starred nathanst was unstarred
    Image of Anekanta - former space marine Anekanta - former space marine
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    This isn't that surprising. The amygdala is wired to pick up threat and trigger an emotional response long before we're consciously able to control it. The system is evolved to make you run from the tiger springing out of the bushes without you stopping to think about it.

    You have about a quarter of a second for the reaction to take hold.

    This is why certain "news" outlets constantly report stuff designed to make you angry or afraid--to trigger that knee-jerk animal response, and shut off your higher reasoning functions.

    Incidentally, you can learn to widen that quarter of a second and catch your negative emotions before they take over by practising mindfulness meditation or something similar.
     Reply
    Anekanta - former space marine was starred Anekanta - former space marine was unstarred
    Image of Perhaps Not Perhaps Not
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    BaGd newLs foEr advertiserNs oNr greaBt newEs foCr advertiserKs, dependinSg oUn hoCw yoKu looSk at it.
     Reply
    Perhaps Not was starred Perhaps Not was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    09/28/09

    @Perhaps Not: I have a sudden urge to watch Olbermann!
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
    09/28/09

    @crashedpc - unrein: Same here.
     Reply
    Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. was starred Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. was unstarred
    Image of nathanst nathanst
    09/28/09

    @Perhaps Not: Too hard to comprehend, try asserting that this form of propaganda is exactly the sort of thing Fox news would utilize. Thank goodness we have brave heroes like Olbermann and MSNBC.

    And ofcourse ourselves. We're the real heroes in all of this.
     Reply
    nathanst was starred nathanst was unstarred
    Image of Perhaps Not Perhaps Not
    09/29/09

    @nathanst: I know I am!
     Reply
    Perhaps Not was starred Perhaps Not was unstarred
    Image of Scamper Robinson Scamper Robinson
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    Bad news for advertisers? You say this as if they don’t already know that negativity sells products. They’ve known if for a long time now, and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone in advertising didn’t pay for this particular study. Ad execs have known about the importance of psychology — no subliminal imagery required — in advertising since Freud's nephew Edward Bernays coined the term "Public Relations" (another form of advertising) in the late 1920s. They’ve only gotten better at it since then.

    Though we may be besieged by happy imagery in today’s ads, look closer and you’ll see the real intent: to make you feel like you’re missing out on something. It’s negativity at its shiniest.

    I highly recommend Douglas Rushkoff’s book "Coercion: Why We Listen to What ‘They’ Say," which delves into some of this stuff.
     Reply
    Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H. promoted this comment Scamper Robinson was starred Scamper Robinson was unstarred
    Image of Hamslicer Hamslicer
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    hmmm, one of the ladies on the cover of the book is horizontal... hmmm.
     Reply
    Hamslicer was starred Hamslicer was unstarred
    Image of Dr Emilio Lizardo Dr Emilio Lizardo
    09/28/09

    @Hamslicer: I believe that book was being sold to men who thought they could use it to get women horizontal.
     Reply
    Dr Emilio Lizardo was starred Dr Emilio Lizardo was unstarred
    Image of Hamslicer Hamslicer
    09/28/09

    @Dr Emilio Lizardo: ooh, I get it now! Sneaky bastards.
    Where can get a copy?
     Reply
    Hamslicer was starred Hamslicer was unstarred
    Image of Hamslicer Hamslicer
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    Carl Rove and republicans know this strategy very well!
     Reply
    Hamslicer was starred Hamslicer was unstarred
    Image of SuperTuna SuperTuna
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    I'd link the Super-liminal message from the Simpsons but I can't at work :(

    "Yvan eht nioj!"
     Reply
    crashedpc - unrein promoted this comment SuperTuna was starred SuperTuna was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    09/28/09

    In reply to Subliminal Messaging Works Best When the Message is Negative
    Snuggle Bear eats babies. Snuggle Bear eats babies. Snuggle Bear eats babies. Snuggle Bear eats babies.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Motoki Motoki
    09/28/09

    @crashedpc - unrein: You know, I always did think that bear was creepy.
     Reply
    Motoki was starred Motoki was unstarred
    Image of AngryEddy AngryEddy
    09/28/09

    ...
    @crashedpc - unrein: I don't know what you're talking about.
     Reply
    AngryEddy was starred AngryEddy was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    09/28/09

    @AngryEddy: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of RandomFrequentFlierDent RandomFrequentFlierDent
    09/28/09

    @crashedpc - unrein: Well, they are low in cholesterol . . .
     Reply
    RandomFrequentFlierDent was starred RandomFrequentFlierDent was unstarred
    Image of Chip Overclock Chip Overclock
    09/28/09

    @RandomFrequentFlierDent: Actually, I think they are high fat but low carbohydrates, making them acceptable to the Atkins dieters in the book THE ROAD.
     Reply
    Chip Overclock was starred Chip Overclock was unstarred
    Image of RandomFrequentFlierDent RandomFrequentFlierDent
    09/28/09

    @Chip Overclock: Being a post-apocalyptic cannibal is no excuse to let yourself go and the South Beach diet is hard to maintain after the collapse of human civilization.
     Reply
    RandomFrequentFlierDent was starred RandomFrequentFlierDent was unstarred
    Image of Sunshineyness Sunshineyness
    09/28/09

    @crashedpc - unrein: When I was little, like, toddler age my mother told me that I apparently LOVED the Snuggle ads and thought they were a show and would get upset if someone turned the channel on it.
     Reply
    Sunshineyness was starred Sunshineyness was unstarred
    Image of BadUncle BadUncle
    02/18/09

    In reply to You Are Being Programmed By Subliminal Messages
    leading advertising executives across the world to celebrate....


    As an advertising executive, I can't say most of us have even gotten the news, much less would I consider this study a reason to celebrate. If I wanted to put sex in a liquor ad, I wouldn't conceal the word in ice cube shadows. I'd cast a model and write some porny copy.

     Reply
    BadUncle was starred BadUncle was unstarred
    Image of Hit Bull Win Steak Hit Bull Win Steak
    02/18/09

    In reply to You Are Being Programmed By Subliminal Messages
    Tyler Durden approves
     Reply
    Hit Bull Win Steak was starred Hit Bull Win Steak was unstarred
    Image of Brine Brine
    02/18/09

    In reply to You Are Being Programmed By Subliminal Messages
    So what's in the ice? I can't see anything.
     Reply
    Brine was starred Brine was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    02/18/09

    @Brine: Why not drink it and see? Go ahead! You know you want some vodka.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of bookfoldbrewcineaste bookfoldbrewcineaste
    02/18/09

    @crashedpc: The top cubes have "ABSOLUT" written in them, the bottom one says, "VODKA." Not nearly as subtle as the well-endowed dude on the Camel cigarette packs.
     Reply
    bookfoldbrewcineaste was starred bookfoldbrewcineaste was unstarred
    Image of bookfoldbrewcineaste bookfoldbrewcineaste
    02/18/09

    @bookfoldbrewcineaste: sorry, that last should have been @Brine.
     Reply
    bookfoldbrewcineaste was starred bookfoldbrewcineaste was unstarred
    Image of crashedpc - Haifisch crashedpc - Haifisch
    02/18/09

    @bookfoldbrewcineaste: While I thank you for the well endowed man image on cigarette packs, I smoke Nat Shermans, thankfully big-man free.
     Reply
    crashedpc - Haifisch was starred crashedpc - Haifisch was unstarred
    Image of Brine Brine
    02/18/09

    @bookfoldbrewcineaste: I saw what looked like letters in the bottom, but didn't realize it would be so...mundane. How disappointing.
     Reply
    Brine was starred Brine was unstarred
    Image of Grey_Area Grey_Area
    02/18/09

    @Brine: If you look very carefully you can also spot a teeny tiny Captain America.
     Reply
    Grey_Area was starred Grey_Area was unstarred
    Image of Belabras: now with Kung Fu grip! Belabras: now with Kung Fu grip!
    02/18/09

    In reply to You Are Being Programmed By Subliminal Messages
    Know what's brilliant about that photo? The 'VODKA' reflected in the ice cube.
     Reply
    Belabras: now with Kung Fu grip! was starred Belabras: now with Kung Fu grip! was unstarred
    Image of braak:  You are, as usual, completely correct. braak: You are, as usual, completely correct.
    02/18/09

    @Belabras: Weirdly, I still think vodka tastes like acetone.
     Reply
    braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was starred braak: You are, as usual, completely correct. was unstarred
    Image of tetracycloide tetracycloide
    02/18/09

    @braak: distates for vodka is not without precedent but it is odd you've tried nail polish remover...
     Reply
    tetracycloide was starred tetracycloide was unstarred
    Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Login

Enter your username and password.

Please enter a username.
Please enter your password.
logging in
Login via Facebook | Sign Up | Forgot Password?

Reset Password

Please enter your email address to have your password reset.

Please enter your email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
requesting password reset

Register

Registering will give you a user profile and the ability to add other users as friends. To become a commenter, however, you need to audition.

Want to know more? Consult the Comment FAQ and legal terms.

Please enter a username.
Please enter a password.
Please confirm your password.
Passwords are not identical.
Please enter a valid email address.
registration sent, waiting for reply

Submit Your Comment

You don't need to login to comment. Just enter your email address below.

See how your address will be displayed in the Comment FAQ.

Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
logging in

Login with your Facebook or io9 account.

Sign up here.



  • Archives
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Legal
  • Help
  • Report a Bug
  • FAQ
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.