Games People Play
By: Geo (July 4th, 2008)In 1957, a Fort Lee, (New Jersey) drive-in theater flashed the words ‘DRINK COLA COLA’ and ‘EAT POPCORN’ for 1/3000th of a second every 5 seconds throughout the movie during a 6-week run of the film Picnic. This was the brainchild of NY market researcher, James Vicary, who boasted that Coke sales in the lobby increased 58% and that popcorn sales rose 18%!
An avalanche of criticism from outraged citizens and congressmen produced more research on the subject. Known as “Subliminal Messaging“, conflicting results have come out on this and it has been argued ever since.
A Subliminal Message is a signal or message designed to pass below (sub) the normal limits of perception. For example it might be inaudible to the conscious mind (but audible to the unconscious or deeper mind) or might be an image transmitted briefly and unperceived consciously and yet perceived unconsciously.
This definition assumes a division between conscious and unconscious which may be misleading; it may be more true to suggest that the subliminal message (sound or image) is perceived by deeper parts of what is a single integrated mind. However these are all things that cannot be easily verified.
Subliminal messages gain their potential (or alleged) influence/power from the fact that they may be able to cirumvent the critical functions of the conscious mind, and it has often been argued that subliminal suggestions are therefore potentially more powerful than ordinary suggestions. This route to influence or persuasion would be akin to auto-suggestion or hypnosis wherein the subject is encouraged to be (or somehow induced to be) relaxed so that suggestions are directed to deeper parts of the mind.
But is this possible? Does this happen? Psychologists and advertisers say ‘no’ but there are plenty more who say they have experimental proofs of the impact of subliminal visual and audio messages.
Well, even as the impact of such messages is debated, there use is perhaps very prolific especially in advertising. If one googles up for subliminal messages, he is likely to find of lot of it linked with Coca Cola! Though most people put down James Vicary’s claims, it seems Coca Cola bought heavily into it and has invested in subliminal messaging ever since. Mind Games?
Some of the examples shown by anti-subliminal campaigners are really doubtful or probably just co-incidental, however, much of it is shocking and we can see that it was deliberately put there.
It is also alleged that much of the popular music has subliminal messages, more frequently via backmasking.
Although every subliminal message may not affect everyone, it is alleged that it does affect the behavior or emotion of most. Though many things can be perceived from subliminal messages, only a couple words or a single image of unconscious signals can be internalized. As only a word or image can be effectively perceived, the simpler features of that image or word will be cause a change in behavior (e.g. the word BEEF caused Hunger).
So can we say that a lot of manipulation is being done or rather attempted by people in audio and visual media to sell their products or ideas. Perhaps the most impacted by these ‘below the belt’ suggestions are children and the youth, because alarmingly, much of the subliminal messaging is done in media that caters to these age groups. Looking at the potential power of these messages to circumvent our conscious mind and yet cause behavioral response, there seems to be hardly any way out for anyone but to face it. And as long as the opinions are divided, there is not way to stop it too. So then what?
The battle is for the mind. He who rules the minds, rules in market share and everywhere. Echoing in my mind right now are the statements of Paul in his letter to the Romans:
Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect,
and a more provoking one in his second letter to the Corinthians:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!
Perhaps, the only recourse to the mind games that people (and not just people) play.
Tags: , backmasking, Coca Cola, Coke, James Vicary, manipulation, mind games, Popcorn, Subliminal Messaging, unconscious
July 8th, 2008 at 9:45 am
This is an interesting video I found on You Tube.