Unmasking Subliminal Marketing Tactics

Buyer Beware: Unmasking Subliminal Marketing Tactics

The Deceptive Music Store Scenario

You're browsing CDs in a music store when you notice an attractive young couple nearby. They're talking loudly, and you can't help but overhear their conversation.

"Oh, there's the CD I bought last week!" the girl exclaims excitedly.

"I have it too. I listen to it all the time," the guy replies.

"Me too! It's my favorite CD. Everyone thinks it's great!" the girl adds.

You've never heard of the group, but you decide to buy the CD. After all, everyone else seems to love it.

What is Subliminal Marketing?

However, you might have thought twice about your decision if you'd known that the young couple was paid by a company to encourage the purchase of certain CDs. This is a new form of marketing, called subliminal marketing, which uses actors sent to shops, bars, and other public places to create the impression that a product is very popular. Advertisers hope to entice people to buy a product if they see others they admire or relate to using it.

Subtle Influence: Real-World Examples

In subliminal marketing, consumers often don't realize they are being influenced. They are unconscious, for example, when:

• A smart young man has been paid to ask for a specific drink in a crowded bar.
• Two "tourists" asking to have their photo taken are actually announcing a new mobile phone camera.

These situations seem real, but in fact, they are all successful examples of subliminal marketing.

The Rise of Subliminal Marketing

Traditional advertising has always helped sell products. However, marketing companies realized that commercial advertising began to lose its effectiveness because it was becoming saturated. Advertisers felt they needed a fresh, new approach. Therefore, they developed subliminal marketing.

The Ethical Debate: Is Subliminal Marketing Deceptive?

Marketing professor Thomas Hustad believes that secret marketing is deceptive because consumers are directed when they least expect it. Consumer activist Ralph Nader agrees; in his view, this type of advertising should be illegal.

However, Jonathan Ressler, president of a company that specializes in subliminal marketing, disagrees. According to him, the decision remains in the hands of consumers. "If a person does not like a product or cannot prove that it fits into their life, they will not use it," he states.