Odd Page of Text Flashed Up On TV Last Night (Subliminal advertising?), page 9

reply to post by ALadInsane

Thank you for sharing this with us.

I have read all the pages here, and the accompanying links. I am quite concerned about the frequency, number and content of the messages. Early this morning (1:40GMT, on Comedy Central TV) I saw a version mentioning something about not buying a memory foam matress...more about the foam being produced for astronaughts blah blah. In fact this was flashed twice in a couple of minutes, one version with a red background. Was this subliminal impact? No. I was able to rewind and review, which proves that for me, one second broadcasting fails at being subliminal at all- I saw it flicker- I checked it out.

Or did it fail? How can I be sure that I would have noticed it without first having read this thread? I am already muting out adverts wherever possible, primarily because I chose not to partake in neuromarketing strategies (soundwaves and higher volume levels etc) do I now have to avoid eye contact?

The content of all the screens identified are pretty much as confusing as you can get. Pehaps, if they were more understandable they would be more acceptable, at least we would not be so alarmed by them. If this was an attempt to advertise something, I have missed the point, and will avoid them altogether... if I notice them.

The power of suggestion is incredible: if I were to talk about the smell of frying bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms with toast and fresh coffee, fish and chips with salt and vinegar or pancakes with sugar and lemon, your senses would almost taste the words. At least you understand the message.

It is a different situation when directive messages are being broadcast, and I resent the assumption that someone or somebody, other than me, might control my thoughts or decisions by the use of subliminal words.

Are we being prepared for a new form of information transfer? How far will it go? Disclosure? control? Do we have a choice or legal recourse to protect us?

It could be argued that: a one second advert/flash is impossible to read and without the recipient having the ability to rewind and review, might be classed as subliminal information. However, because the flash is visible this may not be the case:

UK's current OFCOM Code (issue 9, Dec 2009) states:
Rule 2.11 Subliminal Images
An image (however brief) that can be seen by viewers is not subliminal.

It is interesting to note that previous code issues stated:

The Ofcom Broadcasting Code December 2009
www.ofcom.org.uk

2.11 Broadcasters must not use techniques which exploit the possibility of conveying
a message to viewers or listeners, or of otherwise influencing their minds without
their being aware, or fully aware, of what has occurred.

This subject lead to me thinking about the changes in advertising. Almost every web page is flashing or rolling adverts....look around your screen, and it now seems there are full TV type adverts playing on them- some manditory. Would we notice the one second flash in these?