You’re sitting in a movie theater, munching popcorn and watching the latest blockbuster. Suddenly, you feel an inexplicable urge for a cold Coca-Cola.
Coincidence? Or could something more subtle be at play?
Let’s explore what science really tells us about this controversial marketing technique.
The science on unconscious processing is pretty solid, but it still begs the question: can subliminal messaging really influence us to act in ways advertisers want?
That is, are subliminal ads actually effective in manipulating consumer behavior?
Let’s take a look at some research going beyond mere emotional and physiological responses:
Outside of a few select experiments, however, the research is rather less promising: a 1996 meta-analysis (the highest level of evidence in science) that examined 23 studies found little to no effect of subliminal advertising on consumer behavior.
That being said, it should be noted that this meta-analysis was conducted prior to the positive findings (e.g., the Lipton Tea study) discussed earlier. Perhaps the …