Subliminal Advertising Myth or Reality?

Versión en español, pulse aquí

Everyone, we are dedicated to the marketing and those not, we ever heard of subliminal advertising.

Commercials in which, supposedly, are introduced to the viewer perceives messages unconsciously and inviting you to consume a certain product. Buyer consume these items and never becomes aware of who or what has prompted it.

Subliminal advertising is on everyone's lips since the sixties. Some even confuse neuromarketing with such advertising or studies how.

Nothing is further from the truth. The neuromarketing studies not subliminal advertising, among other things, because this type of advertising there is a myth.

In the 60s, J. McDonald Vicary said he entered, subliminally, the phrases "eat popcorn" and "Drink Coke" during the broadcast of a film. Supposedly, as reported, increased sales of both products during the broadcast. Almost 20% of popcorn and more than 50% of the soda said.

The impact of this news was such that the U.S. government banned the practice. Even in Spain is prohibited by the General Advertising Act.

In 1962 McDonald himself acknowledged that it was all a setup and the data shown were handling. Were false. Those messages never inserted in the issue of the film. But the legend ran so fast that the reality went unnoticed.It is true that, to date, no one has shown that it can achieve an increase in consumption with subliminal advertising. But neither has shown otherwise. That is, we have no scientific evidence that subliminal advertising works. But we have no empirical. That is, in the experiments conducted and reported to date, none has been shown that introducing subliminal messages increases consumption.

What it is true is that many people think is possible, even brands that use it. Ignoring that, even though not proven fact, the law explicitly prohibits such practices.

And is that something is trying to send a subliminal message. And another thing that is perceived, albeit unconsciously. Let alone that can alter the behavior of an individual for these messages.

The reality is that subliminal advertising is another one of those myths and legends that are so widespread that make them look real.

As I mentioned once: the human will is so strong that it would try to bend it so difficult that, be achievable, the effort would be such that the effort would be employed unprofitable. In the time spent to sell a unit to someone who does not want to, we could sell thousands to those that they want and are attracted to the product.

Neuromarketing and any other area of marketing aims to bring products to potential consumers. Not become consumers who neither want our products or need us. Which makes no sense. Well, as just discussed, if the client does not want to buy the best for the seller is not interested in selling.