| Conspiracy theories aside, almost every | | | | 3. Pictures at odds with the words |
| advertisement contains subliminal messages to help | | | | If you're not sure what I mean by this, turn down |
| influence you. So how do you spot a subliminal | | | | the volume when you next watch an advert. Is it the |
| advertisement and what can you do once you've | | | | same message as the words that were being |
| seen through its disguise? | | | | spoken? Well, if the advertisement was for a car the |
| Well, your first task is to spot a subliminal | | | | answer is almost certainly "no". The words will talk |
| advertisement when you meet one. So here are | | | | about how safe the car is, how good its gas |
| some clues to look for: | | | | consumption is, how reliable it is, that kind of thing. |
| 1. Beautiful smiling people | | | | The pictures will be showing you how you can |
| The favorite of alcohol advertisers everywhere. | | | | escape from the regular life you are likely to live with |
| They're not allowed to say "you'll look sexier" or | | | | your car. its highly unlikely that the pictures will show |
| "you'll get more dates" if you drink their brand. There | | | | a regular commuter run. Instead you're shown |
| are laws against them saying that. But it's fair game | | | | pictures of wide open roads with no other traffic. Or |
| to show the product being consumed by people. So | | | | squealing around tight corners in some picture |
| are they going to populate their adverts with ugly | | | | postcard town. So the subliminal message is that |
| drinkers or nice looking ones? Hmmm. Difficult | | | | your choice of car will help you to escape. |
| question. | | | | These are all regular ways that subliminal |
| 2. Negative commands | | | | advertisements can creep up on us. They happen |
| "Don't read this". That kind of thing. These help get | | | | without the advertiser having to do anything devious |
| round lots of rules and regulations in the advertising | | | | like flashing messages briefly on the screen or playing |
| industry, especially where claims are concerned. One | | | | something backwards in the soundtrack. They'll pass |
| minor problem is that our subconscious mind - the | | | | any examination by an advertising regulator because |
| place where these subliminal messages is aimed at - | | | | they're squeaky clean as far as our conscious minds |
| doesn't process negatives. It just carries on as | | | | are concerned. |
| though they weren't there. So the cream that "Won't | | | | To be honest, the best protection from this kind of |
| give you the results of a face lift" is being perfectly | | | | subliminal advert is from seeing it in its true colors. |
| legal when it says that in the advert. The regulators | | | | Once you start to analyze an advert like this, you |
| are happy - the advertiser is telling the truth. The | | | | rob it of some of its power. Or at the very least you |
| advertisers are happy - our brain processes the | | | | are much more aware of what the advertiser is |
| message as "give you the results of a face lift". So | | | | doing their level best to sell you. Make a decision |
| our subconscious mind immediately sends a command | | | | based on this analysis rather than the superficial style |
| to get our your wallet or purse and buy the cream. | | | | of the ad. |
| Neat, huh? | | | | |