The Power of Subliminal Messages
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 9:49 am
Subliminal messages can be defined as visual, auditory or generally sensory messages that are registered just below our level of consciousness . Since the 1950s they have been surrounded by skepticism and doubt. Recently two researchers studied how this type of messages can influence the decisions we make. They found that people exposed for 16 milliseconds to smiling faces were more willing to drink and pay more for their drink than the sample exposed to an angry face.
The researchers called these “ unconscious emotions ,” showing how smiling faces push people to make more purchases.
Somatic markers influence our decisions
We all enter a supermarket and often find ourselves buying hazelnut spread, we are surrounded by different products and yet we make our choice in just two seconds.
Most people would not be able to give a rational explanation for this behavior.
A recent study has highlighted that more than 50% of country email list purchasing decisions are in fact taken spontaneously and therefore unconsciously , at the point of sale.
The rationale behind these choices has been built through associations that we experience throughout our lives: it is the result of somatic markers that trigger automatic responses.
A proof of all this is in the study of Robert Heath who examined the success of an English brand of toilet paper compared to its rival. The quality of the products and the cost were approximately the same, the difference was in the mascot used by the first brand, a Labrador puppy. Consumers instinctively associated it with the idea of creating a family, puppies are also linked to toilet training. The connections between these concepts, the associations that were derived , led the consumer to prefer one toilet paper rather than another.
Somatic markers and fears
Somatic markers can be used in different ways, in fact they are associated with both positive and negative experiences . Here they help us sell products such as anti-wrinkle creams or diets and gym memberships, to combat the fear of aging and becoming obese. In this case, advertisements try to scare us by convincing us that not buying a product can make us feel less confident, less happy, less free and less in control of our lives.
The researchers called these “ unconscious emotions ,” showing how smiling faces push people to make more purchases.
Somatic markers influence our decisions
We all enter a supermarket and often find ourselves buying hazelnut spread, we are surrounded by different products and yet we make our choice in just two seconds.
Most people would not be able to give a rational explanation for this behavior.
A recent study has highlighted that more than 50% of country email list purchasing decisions are in fact taken spontaneously and therefore unconsciously , at the point of sale.
The rationale behind these choices has been built through associations that we experience throughout our lives: it is the result of somatic markers that trigger automatic responses.
A proof of all this is in the study of Robert Heath who examined the success of an English brand of toilet paper compared to its rival. The quality of the products and the cost were approximately the same, the difference was in the mascot used by the first brand, a Labrador puppy. Consumers instinctively associated it with the idea of creating a family, puppies are also linked to toilet training. The connections between these concepts, the associations that were derived , led the consumer to prefer one toilet paper rather than another.
Somatic markers and fears
Somatic markers can be used in different ways, in fact they are associated with both positive and negative experiences . Here they help us sell products such as anti-wrinkle creams or diets and gym memberships, to combat the fear of aging and becoming obese. In this case, advertisements try to scare us by convincing us that not buying a product can make us feel less confident, less happy, less free and less in control of our lives.