Do you feel persuaded by this advertisement?

Do you feel persuaded by this advertisement?

Subliminal MessagesSubliminal Messages

• Brief auditory or visual messages that are presented below the absolute threshold, that our chance of conscious perception is less than 50%

• Information that may influence our behavior without our conscious awareness

Types of Subliminal MessagesTypes of Subliminal Messages

• Image Flashing

• Soft Sounds

• Visual Embeds

• Backmasking

Image FlashingImage Flashing

•First known use was in 1957 at a movie theater, though results of “study” were later admitted to have been falsified

•Image flashed on a screen that our eyes sense but our brain does not consciously perceive

Image Flashing ExamplesImage Flashing Examples

Soft SoundsSoft Sounds

• Second audio track that is much quieter than regular soundtrack

• Used in stores, movies, and self-improvement tapes

Soft Sounds ExampleSoft Sounds Example

Listen to the soundtrack “below” the main part of the dialogue in Aladdin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QYYOuQGEp0

Visual EmbedsVisual Embeds

• An image that you see but don’t perceive unless it is pointed out to you

• Often used in advertisements

Visual Embeds ExampleVisual Embeds Example

Veni, Vidi, Vici =We Came, We Saw,

We Conquered

Another Couple of Examples of Visual Embeds

Another Couple of Examples of Visual Embeds

Yet Another ExampleYet Another Example

And one more example of visual embeds…

And one more example of visual embeds…

And the last example of Visual Embeds

And the last example of Visual Embeds

BackmaskingBackmasking

• Controversy surrounds musical artists accused of backmasking

• Hidden track only audible when music is played backwards

Examples of BackmaskingExamples of BackmaskingArtist: Led ZeppelinArtist: Led Zeppelin Song: Black DogSong: Black Dog

Forward: Started tellin’ her friends she gonna Forward: Started tellin’ her friends she gonna be a star.be a star.

Backward: Oh Satan want ya near Backward: Oh Satan want ya near bless my soul.bless my soul.

Artist: Rolling StonesArtist: Rolling StonesSong: TopsSong: Tops

Forward: I’m sorry for a Forward: I’m sorry for a breath of your sweet breath of your sweet love.love.Backward: I love you, Backward: I love you, said the Devil.said the Devil.

Artist: Ozzy OsborneArtist: Ozzy OsborneSong: Suicide SolutionSong: Suicide Solution

Forward: Get your gun Forward: Get your gun and do it...shoot shoot and do it...shoot shoot shoot shoot shoot.shoot shoot shoot.

Backward: When the last Backward: When the last “shoot” is played backward it “shoot” is played backward it says Satan.says Satan.(This song was blamed for (This song was blamed for causing suicides among teens.)causing suicides among teens.)

Artist: PokemonArtist: PokemonSong: The Pokemon RapSong: The Pokemon Rap

Forward: Gotta catch ‘em all, Forward: Gotta catch ‘em all, Gotta catch ‘em all, Gotta Gotta catch ‘em all, Gotta catch ‘em all, Gotta catch catch ‘em all, Gotta catch ‘em all, ‘em all,

Backward: O Satan, O Backward: O Satan, O Satan, O Satan, O SatanSatan, O Satan, O Satan

Artist: Led Zeppelin Artist: Led Zeppelin Song: Stairway To HeavenSong: Stairway To Heaven

Forward: If there’s a bustle in your Forward: If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alone now, it’s hedgerow, don’t be alone now, it’s just a spring clean for the May queen. just a spring clean for the May queen. Yes there are two paths you can go Yes there are two paths you can go back, but in the long run, there’s still back, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on.time to change the road you’re on.

Backward: Here's to my sweet Backward: Here's to my sweet Satan. The one whose little path Satan. The one whose little path would make me sad, whose power is would make me sad, whose power is Satan. He’ll give you 666, there was Satan. He’ll give you 666, there was a little tool shed where he made us a little tool shed where he made us suffer, sad Satan.suffer, sad Satan.

Artist: Michael JacksonArtist: Michael JacksonSong: Beat ItSong: Beat It

Forward: So beat itForward: So beat it

Backward: I do believe Backward: I do believe it was Satan in meit was Satan in me

Artist: Queen Artist: Queen Song: Another One Song: Another One Bites The DustBites The Dust

Forward: Another one Forward: Another one bites the dustbites the dust

Backward: It’s fun to Backward: It’s fun to smoke marijuanasmoke marijuana

`̀