This essay was written by Lower Sixth Form student Raul Murphy and was a joint winner of the RGS 2023/24 4000 Characters essay competition. In this competition, students had to submit an essay of no more than 4000 characters (including spaces!) inspired by the quote ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover’.
The phrase “you can’t judge a book by its cover” has gained added significance in the subtle world of advertising. On the surface, advertisement can be seen to showcase a product or vision, however, the methods beneath challenge our ability to distinguish the true intent and perhaps hidden objective.
A subliminal message uses visual or auditory stimuli which are inaudible to the conscious mind yet register in the unconscious. Subliminal advertising capitalises on these techniques to influence consumer behaviour without their awareness and avoids resistance. Consider a billboard for Coca-Cola, characterised by vibrant colours and refreshing imagery – at first glance it infers a positive association, however, under the surface, one can find potential images of a woman on top of a can amongst other things. Advertisers employ subtle symbols or depictions that trigger unconscious desires or emotions related to the product. This creates a challenge in our inability to judge the impact of these hidden details that are forced upon us.
Another form of subliminal messaging involves the insertion of “hidden” messages into movies and TV programs. This concept relies on the viewer seeing a singular frame at different points within the show. The hidden command will flash across the screen so quickly that it is not consciously perceived but instead will appeal to the subconscious mind, and thus have some an effect on the viewer’s behaviour. During the 2000 U.S presidential campaign, a television ad campaigning for Republican George W. Bush showed parts of words scaling from foreground to the background of the television screen. When the word “Bureaucrats” flashed on the screen, one frame showed only the last part, “RATS” – implying negative connotations. The case was investigated, but no sanctions applied. Who knows how much this affected the presidential race?
Subliminal advertising capitalizes on the power of suggestion, and often appeals to deep seated desires, fears or aspirations. The danger occurs when consumers, unaware of these influences, make choices guided by these advertisements, that are ultimately beyond their conscious understanding. One of the most chilling potential subliminal messages comes from a case in 1985, where two young adults aged 18 and 20 made a suicide pact to kill themselves. One of them survived, then transpired that they had been listening to Judas Priest that afternoon, a heavy metal band, and claimed that there were subliminal messages in the music, such as “Try suicide,”, “Let’s be dead” and “do it, do it.” Whilst these claims were ruled against, it is impossible to say that the music did not have any effect on their decisions.
Furthermore, various studies on subliminal perception have been conducted and yielded interesting findings. It was questioned if anaesthetized patients are completely unaware whilst apparently asleep or unconscious, and whilst the patients themselves reported no knowledge of events whilst they were under anaesthetic, indirect methods of examining knowledge retention confirmed that information was perceived without any conscious awareness.
In the future, as technology advances and advertisers continue to cast the net wider, the importance of looking beneath the surface becomes increasingly critical. The phrase “you can’t judge a book by its cover” serves as a call for vigilance, encouraging consumers to question and seek transparency in the messages that swamp us everyday.
To conclude, in the ever-growing battle between consumer consciousness and deceptive advertisers, subliminal messaging stands as a potent example of the phrase “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” The layers of persuasion masked under seemingly innocent jingles will always challenge our ability to discern truth from manipulation. Recognising the existence of such techniques helps us take the first step in regaining control over our choices and ideas.
The Unchained Library 