Comments on: Sub(lim)in(al) Mes(sa)ges A(re) E(ver)ywh(er)e(?)

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:02:31 +0000

Glad I wasn’t the only one with the Husker Du/Sugar compulsion!! I gotta gets me some Bob Mould immediately!

By: Simon

Simon — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:44:07 +0000

…no, but a Judas Priest song played forwards makes me want to hang myself! :-P

By: Andy

Andy — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:15:01 +0000

Back in high school, in the late 70’s, we looked at subliminal messages in advertising. We went through some fashion magazines looking closely at the faces of models, into ice cubes in liquor ads, etc. What we found were small, partly disguised, but very clear words; and occasional pictures-within-pictures. Many of the words, particularly on models’ faces, were obscenities that wouldn’t have otherwise been printed in the magazine.

By: Mikey D

Mikey D — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:29:38 +0000

I feel a strange compulsion to buy Bob Mould records.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 07:37:32 +0000

I gotta tell ya, that Judas Priest song did it for me. Worshipping Satan, that is.

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 04:00:59 +0000

During the movie Sunshine, they show flashes of the doomed crew. It was creepy.

By: mr. p

mr. p — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:50:05 +0000

i actually saw the fabled “hungry? eat popcorn” one evening at home. they say these things are more noticable in a relaxed state, and i don’t think i could have been more relaxed, lying on my couch with a glass of wine, watching an old movie. sure enough, it popped up, plain as day. black and white, square letters.

By: Jenne

Jenne — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:29:46 +0000

Actually, I remember studying these in psychology in high school. Studies have proven that subliminal messages work in controlled laboratory environments but fail miserably in the real world. One great example was a movie theater that flashed “BUY POPCORN” to movie viewers. They had absolutely no change in popcorn sales.

By: Miss Cellania

Miss Cellania — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:19:33 +0000

There is a semantics problem with subliminal ads. If they are truly below the threshold of perception, then we wouldn’t be aware of them. Then again, I suppose “near-liminal” would be an awkward term.

By: sara

sara — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:30:08 +0000

All it does is piss me off. It’s deceitful, really, and a little scary that big corporations so easily take to the idea of influencing you on a psychological level. I realize that’s the purpose of all advertising, but big honking billboards and 30 second spots aren’t as sneaky.

Oh, but Fight Club’s penises were just hilarious.