A not so subliminal message

Anna's blog bananas about subliminal advertising got me thinking. After reading Buyology, I haven't been able to look at advertisements the same way. Even the most innocuous flower shop commercial is scrutinized for signs of inappropriate hidden sexual content or a soundtrack recorded to subliminally force you to believe the solution to all your problems is found in a beautiful rose bouquet.

Subliminal advertising scares people. We've grown up being taught to fear sacrificing control of our brains. High school discussions about 1984 basically cemented the fact that mind control is always evil. Thus, when the news about subliminal advertising got out, people treated it like it was the bubonic plague, pushing for laws and regulations prohibiting the use of such methods in advertising.

My question is: Is it really that bad?

If you think about it, everything around us could count as subliminal advertising. That guy smiling at you from across the room? Without saying anything, he is conveying interest. Even if you don't consciously feel yourself relaxing, or notice how he seems more appealing, you find yourself drawn to him more than you were before he smiled. Isn't that exact what the point of subliminal advertising? Convincing you to feel or think something you would've have thought about before seeing the ad? If we keep with the metaphor, traditional advertising is like the guy coming up to you and saying "Hi, I think you seem interesting, and I would like to talk to you". Subliminal advertising, or the smile, gets the point across, but in a way that your conscious mind often has trouble recognizing. In some cases, the smile is even better. The in-your-face approach can often be creepy and a little intimidating. In the same way, the subtle product advertisements seem to be generally much more effective than the infomercials that present you with all the features of the product in a dull, overly glorified manner.

People fear subliminal messages because they're afraid that after watching a particularly powerful piece of propaganda, they will be inspired to go out and attempt to kill the prime minister "for the motherland". Personally, I don't think the human mind works that way. It is receptive to subliminal advertisements to a certain extent. Subliminal messages could make you crave a Coke while watching American Idol, but it will not convince you to go against something completely against your morals. Neither technology nor our understanding of the human mind have reached that level.

At least, not yet.