Week 8 EOC: Subliminal Advertising

Subliminal advertising, or unlocking the subconscious mind of the consumer, has become in fashion again after years of being a taboo topic. In the day and age of consumers facing a constant barrage of advertisements, brands are finding themselves diving into the psyche of Americans in which they can get a strong foothold into why they buy certain brands over another. “Shell is now in the process of coming up with some new customer-catching techniques — derived, Oeschle says, from the insights gleaned from his groups of mesmerized motorists” (http://www.salon.com/1999/09/27/persuaders/, 1). That is right, marketing agencies are turning to such tactics as hypnosis to gather consumer insight. These insights are no different than those of decades earlier who used subliminal messaging in advertisements to gain new customers. “In fashionable marketing circles, it has become acceptable again to speak openly about harnessing consumers’ brain waves for commercial ends” (http://www.salon.com/1999/09/27/persuaders/, 3). Everything from a certain fond childhood memory to what makes a person fearful can be valuable knowledge to a brand. This is what gives the brand a “leg up” on the competition and makes their marketing effective.

Subliminal messaging to “harnessing consumer brain waves” are necessary to create brand loyalists these days. It is the psyche that catches on to the meaning behind an advertisement or brand image that creates the need to have it. As dubious as this may sound, it is smart design. Dr. Sam Cohen is someone who is harnessing consumer insight for the good of global brands. “As a specialist in object-relations theory, Cohen says, he considers himself especially well-positioned to probe the purchasing decisions of consumers” (http://www.salon.com/1999/09/27/persuaders/, 4). Delving into the “why” of a purchase is the essence of brand loyalty. It is not as easy to gather this information from more apparent marketing research tactics in which people can give false statements or reasons. Unlocking the unconscious provides truthful answers and brand relationships not even the consumer knew they had. Welcome to the new brand marketing research-where no part of the mind is off limits.