What are your thoughts on subliminal messages?

[darenite]

I don't believe in subliminal messages as a tool of somehow inducing certain behaviors, but it is possible to increase so-called "mindshare". For example, product placement is a form of subliminal messaging. When Dr. House uses a Dell computer or the judges on American Idol drink their water (or alcohol, if the rumors about Paula Abdul are true) from Coke-labeled cups, the logo gets imprinted in your mind, even if it is ultimately irrelevant to the message or content. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll buy it, but the point is that you can form immediate associations, like "Dell = Computer". That can be as valuable as any overt advertisement.

[Exile]

I don't believe in subliminal messages as a tool of somehow inducing certain behaviors, but it is possible to increase so-called "mindshare". For example, product placement is a form of subliminal messaging. When Dr. House uses a Dell computer or the judges on American Idol drink their water (or alcohol, if the rumors about Paula Abdul are true) from Coke-labeled cups, the logo gets imprinted in your mind, even if it is ultimately irrelevant to the message or content. That doesn't necessarily mean you'll buy it, but the point is that you can form immediate associations, like "Dell = Computer". That can be as valuable as any overt advertisement.

Whenever I see a product with the brand name showing in a TV show or movie, I immediately grok that it's a product placement. So this kind of advertising doesn't cut any ice with me.

[cptacek]

One clever one is the Camry commercial, where the word Camry transforms into My Car. I noticed it, but didn't think much about it until I heard my youngest brother (a 6th grader at the time) say out loud "Camry equals My Car" and realized that is exactly what they wanted all of us to say in our heads.