Subliminal Advertising

        Subliminal persuasion in advertising is one of the most interesting and controversial topics in the industry today. We are processing so many messages and forms of advertising on a daily basis, so it is unusual to spend a lot of time looking at one particular image. Yet, if you take a closer look, the hidden meanings can be revealed. Many subliminal signals go undetected by the human eye, however, they are perceived and understood on the subconscious level. Could there be a truth in the belief that a significant amount of the power of persuasion lies in what we aren’t consciously aware of? 

        Looking at some of the most recognizable company logos of our time, with an understanding of the subliminal messages and symbols, we can uncover new meanings regarding their purpose and aims. FedEx’s logo, for example, uses a concept known as negative space to create shapes where there appear to be none. The use of white space has been carefully designed to reveal particular symbols relating to the company. Looking carefully at the space between the capital E and the lower case x, we can see an arrow pointing to the right. Directly correlating to the purpose of FedEx as a business, the arrow symbolizes efficient movement and progress. 

Amazon’s logo depicts a similar technique. Firstly, the yellow curve resembles the smiling mouth of a smiley face, perhaps suggesting happiness and customer satisfaction in association with their website. Also, the arrow moves from the letter a to z. The overall significance of this placement is that Amazon is promoting their business as having the resources to provide you with anything you might be looking for. Products from a to z will be made available to you if you go to amazon.com. Although we do not make such connections consciously when looking at logos, these connections are made on a subconscious level. In our mind we are constantly looking for relationships between images and visual clues to make sense of all the visual persuasion in our world.

        Each of these logos employs visual techniques that subconsciously persuade us of the legitimacy of the company. What is hidden within messages acts as a powerful component of the overall persuasion. Although such subliminal advertising is often viewed as unethical, controversial, and manipulative, I think it is a significantly effective tool of persuasion.