Subliminal Messages and Censorship
Subliminal messages refer to stimuli, such as words or images, that are presented so briefly that they bypass conscious awareness. Commonly embedded within advertisements, films, and music, these messages are thought to influence behavior subconsciously. For instance, some retailers have employed subliminal cues, like “do not steal,” in an attempt to reduce shoplifting. The practice gained notoriety in the late 1950s when James Vicary claimed that flashing phrases like "Drink Coca-Cola" during films significantly boosted sales, prompting public concern and regulatory scrutiny. Consequently, organizations like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled against the use of subliminal messages in broadcasting, deeming them deceptive. Despite ongoing debates about their effectiveness, research suggests that individuals may still be impacted by these unnoticed messages. Legal cases and legislation, such as Louisiana’s 1991 requirement for warning labels on albums with certain themes, further illustrate the contentious nature of subliminal messaging and censorship in media. The complexities surrounding this topic reflect broader societal concerns about manipulation and consumer protection.
Subliminal Messages and Censorship
Definition: Visual or aural stimuli presented below the conscious-awareness threshold of audiences
Significance: Although the effectiveness of subliminal messages has been questioned, their use has been censored as being manipulative
Subliminal messages are words or images that are flashed on screens or played on recordings so quickly that audiences are unaware of receiving the messages. Subliminally transmitted images are generally embedded within other images, using an airbrush technique, so that the stimulus message is not recognized consciously. They reportedly have been used in advertisements, films, and records. They are also said to have been used in music played to customers in department and grocery stores to discourage shoplifting. The theory is that potential lawbreakers subconsciously hearing a message such as “do not steal” are supposedly less likely to shoplift. Cigarette and liquor advertisements in magazines have reportedly used subliminals to induce people to use their products. Some films, such as The Exorcist (1973), have used subliminal images of ghosts and skeletons to increase the fright of their viewers. Such uses are not against the law.
In 1957 James Vicary used a tachistoscope to flash the phrases “Drink Coca-Cola” and “Hungry? Eat Popcorn” on a cinema screen being watched by a audience. Every five seconds these phrases appeared on the screen for three-thousandth of a second throughout the film. Vicary claimed that Coke sales increased 18 percent and popcorn sales increased 57 percent. Despite lack of documentation, public uproar over these claims led the National Association of Broadcasters to adopt a rule in the television code stating that transmission of messages below the threshold of normal awareness is not permitted. Fifteen years later the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reviewed a complaint that a toy manufacturer had run a commercial with the phrase “Get it” presented subliminally. In 1973 the FCC ruled that broadcasters presenting subliminal messages are not acting in the public interest and that such messages are deceptive and therefore not allowed.
In 1991 the families of two young people who attempted suicide sued the heavy metal band Judas Priest and CBS Records. The two adolescents were listening to one of the albums of the British rock group when they shot themselves in 1985. A Nevada court eventually ruled that the families had failed to prove that subliminal suicide messages in the album were responsible. In 1991 Louisiana passed a law requiring warning labels on albums with themes of rape, murder, suicide, illegal drug use, child abuse, or satanic worship.
Controversy concerning the amount of subliminal messages used and the effectiveness of such use has continued. Advertisers do not cite any research involving such messages and in fact generally deny that such messages are used. Nevertheless, a growing body of evidence collected by academic research has found that people can, in fact, be affected by messages that they are not consciously aware of receiving.