Subliminal Messages

Subliminal perception refers to the individual’s ability to perceive and respond to stimuli that are below the "limen" or level of consciousness, found to influence thoughts, feelings, or actions.

These messages appear in many forms of media.  Tapes used during sleeping are said to teach people on certain subjects, or to cause them to give up vices, become more assertive, etc.

In the advertising world, before they were outlawed, subliminal messages were rampant for a time.  Some are flashed images during video - others are combined with pictures for ads.  For example, R.J. Reynolds had to stop using Joe Camel for the as a marketing tool, due to the obvious slant towards teens, and (although this was not widely reported) - the subliminal perception of the cartoon camel’s nose. The nose was said to resemble male genitalia.  

Even today, Camel continues to include an image of a nude male, imbedded within a camel - in every pack of cigarettes.  Some see a bit more, but let's not go there.  At any rate, this links the typical Camel smoker's mind (most are young males) - with power and virility.  See if you can make it out - it is a man standing, elbows out with his fists at his hips :

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Where it all Started

For film, It all started as an experiment in 1957 when James M. Vicary created an "invisible commercial" for a movie theatre.  This "invisible commercial" contained several brief messages that were hidden inside of one main message.  For example, during the main commercial  the words "Drink Coca-Cola" and "Hungary? Eat Popcorn" would flash on the screen.  These interruptions would occur every five seconds, and they would last for 1/3000th of a second.  These brief food and beverage interruptions were not noticeable to the viewers.  However, the people that watched these commercials had an unexplainable urge to eat popcorn and drink coca-cola.  Overall, popcorn sales increased 57.5% and drink sales increased 18.1%.

Subliminal TV advertisements are visual messages, either text or pictures, which are displayed repeatedly during the ad for such short periods of time that consumers do not "see" them with the naked eye, but may comprehend them with the subconscious mind.

Subliminal Messages and the Law

The FCC outlawed subliminal messages for both radio and television in 1974.  The entire regulation is a short paragraph :

"Subliminal Programming. The FCC sometimes receives complaints regarding the alleged use of subliminal techniques in radio and television programming. Subliminal programming is designed to be perceived on a subconscious level only. The Commission has held that the use of subliminal perception is inconsistent with the obligations of a licensee and contrary to the public interest because, whether effective or not, such broadcasts are intended to be deceptive." (39 Federal Register 3714, January 29, 1974) (Note: The Federal Register prior to 1995 is not available online.)

Under this regulation, FCC-licensed TV and radio stations are banned from knowingly broadcasting programming containing subliminal messages of any nature.  While broadcasters are not expected to screen ads or programs for subliminal messages, they are expected to stop airing them as soon as they become aware of their existence.

The FCC issued its regulation in response to a 1974 TV toy commercial found to repeatedly flash the phrase "Get It" on the screen during the ad.

Shortly before Christmas 1971 the Commission received a few complaints that some television stations had broadcast an advertisement which contained a statement of such short duration that most viewers were unaware of it -- at least, consciously unaware of it. The message broadcast in this matter was "Get It," referring to the product advertised in the commercial. Since this statement could not be consciously perceived by most persons, it involved the use of the "subliminal perception" technique which was the subject of Commission inquiry years ago.

The "Rats" Fiasco

During the election campaign of 2000, the "RATS" flap disclosure came out, that a George W. Bush presidential ad, critical of Vice President Gore, displayed the word "RATS" momentarily over the smaller words, "The Gore Prescription Plan -- Bureaucrats Decide."

While Gov. Bush's campaign asserted that "RATS" took up only one out of 900 frames, appeared for only 1/30th of a second, and was accidentally created, the ad was criticized by the Gore campaign as being a deliberately delivered subliminal advertisement.  It was illegal, but no prosecution resulted.