Wendy’s updated its logo in 2013 for the first time since 1983. Was it really a play at subliminal messaging? Sure seems like it, but McDonald’s and The Food Network both claimed the message was an error.

There was no attempt to hide this one, and the fact that the flash was completely unrelated to what was being aired didn’t help matters. Why it Doesn’t Work: Here’s a perfect example of being entirely too obvious. The Food Network made major headlines in 2007 when it was caught inserting a flash of the McDonald’s logo during the popular show Iron Chef. Here are a few of the most infamous examples of not-so-subtle subliminal advertising. Yet still, ever since Vicary presented his study, there’s been a fascination with the art of subliminal meaning and messaging, and some advertisers still try to recreate what the study promised.īut the thing is, being caught purposely trying to insert “hidden” messages can lead to controversy. When a message loses its subtlety, it becomes too obvious. I’ll reiterate: people don’t like feeling manipulated, which is an inherent risk when it comes to hidden advertising. Here’s what you don’t want subliminal ads to be: obvious.

Let’s take a further look at the do’s and don’ts of subliminal advertising. To be clear, there’s really no supporting evidence that says subliminal advertising actually works.īut there is plenty of stigma around the subject, so it’s best to tread carefully. This is what lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to declare subliminal advertising “contrary to the public interest.” Turns out, the whole thing was totally false.īut, despite it being made up, people weren’t too happy with the concept of this subliminal marketing.Īfter all, no one likes feeling manipulated.

Subliminal advertising examples