Adventures in Subliminal Advertising

Traditionally, subliminal advertising meant that there were hidden messages in ads or commercials, usually by images (sometimes by words). The "new" subliminal advertising can take several forms, but always still with the main focus of appealing to the senses or unconscious assumptions. Here's an example:

Many, if not most, consumers believe that the bigger and heavier an object is, the "better" that object will be, so it's completely worthwhile to pay a higher price for it. The smaller, lighter object has to be "inferior." Wrong.
Case in point: I am the proud owner of a netbook computer. It's fully functional and does everything the larger desktops and laptops do, with one exception being that there's no internal CD drive (but there's an outlet for an external one, which I have. So anytime I need a CD drive, I still have one. And I may only need that once or twice a year, if even that often). I can even increase my screen size and fonts anytime (I'm always hearing, "How can you see that?" I see it just fine, no vision problems whatsoever. And I'm basically nearsighted). In fact, as I'm writing this today (July 29^th), just an hour ago, someone asked me (I was in a public library), "Is that real? Is it a toy? A kid's computer?", and after I told them, "It's what? OH. How's that netbook thing working out for you?" And yes, they did have a heavy, monster-size computer with them!
I've lost count of the number of people I've met who inquired (I've never bragged about it, or rammed it down people's throats; none of that) about my netbook, even told me they would definitely buy one and then returned (or showed up) with probably the biggest, heaviest, most expensive-looking computer the store had (not even the thin laptops, mind you!).
So I'll just have to continue to "soldier on" with my "inferior" product because everyone knows "bigger means better" (hee, hee!).
Did you know that -- ..
In 1909, French chemist Eugene Schueller created the first safe, permanent commercial hair dye, founding the French Harmless Hair Dye Co. A year later, he changed the company name to L'Oreal.
In 18^th-century Europe, women ate "Arsenic Complexion Wafers" to attain a white complexion. The arsenic poisoned the blood. For centuries, European women used rouge and lipstick made from cinnabar, a poisonous red sulfide of mercury.
Ivory soap's the best-selling soap in America, not because of its smell or state of cleanliness it leaves you in, but because the air-laden bars dissolve twice as fast as other brands, compelling consumers to buy twice as much.
Before Vaseline petroleum jelly, pharmacists and cosmetic manufacturers used a base of lard or glycerin (animal or vegetable manner) as a base for beauty creams, which quickly decomposed and became rancid. Petroleum jelly can withstand tropical climates!