ttps:////»https://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd»>
This is the name given to persuasion messages made to be perceived only in the subconscious. The first experiment of the kind was carried out in 1956, in New Jersey, in the United States, by publicist Jim Vicary. During a film projection, he inserted the phrase “Drink Coca-Cola” at such a fast speed – appearing at just 0.003 seconds long – that it went unnoticed. The human eye only captures images that last at least 0.02 seconds, but, according to Vicary, the messages were engraved in people’s minds – so much so that, during the film’s break, sales of the soft drink increased by 60%. He repeated the experiment with the message “eat popcorn” and got the same result. It is also possible to do subliminal advertising with sounds. “A common technique is to use heartbeats as background noise for political propaganda.
The sound is almost imperceptible, especially if mixed with the soundtrack or the candidate’s speech, but it gives a feeling of calm and security. The expedient has already been used by politicians such as Covas and Maluf, and in advertisements for Chevrolet cars”, says advertiser Flávio de Alcântara Calazans, professor at Faculdade Cásper Líbero, in São Paulo. The most famous case happened in Japan, in 1997, when more than 700 children had epileptic seizures because of the Pokemon cartoon. The animation brought a light stimulus – imperceptible colored flashes – which should have caused a pleasant sensation, but which short-circuited the children’s brains. “Subliminal advertising is a crime in countries like the United States and France, but here in Brazil there is no specific legislation about it – although the Consumer Protection Code makes it clear that consumers have the right to know when they are facing an advertising message”, says Flavio.