Single Blog

James Vicary, a researcher, first popularized the phrase “subliminal advertising” in the 1950s, however incorporating covert messages in advertising (social media advertising) may have been commonplace for much longer. Advertisers still employ this strategy today in a variety of ways, such as by slipping covert messages into podcast episodes and search engine advertisements.

Social media has grown in popularity as a venue for covert advertising in recent years. This tactic has proven to be very successful for marketers that have perfected it, therefore it merits consideration as a strategy.

How Successful is Subliminal Advertising on Social Media?

The purpose of subliminal advertising is to embed information in your memory via subtle clues. Your brain swiftly assimilates visuals and information while scrolling through social media, even if you ignore them. As a result, even if you aren’t consciously aware of it, a subliminal message that has been cleverly inserted into a social media advertisement can stick in your mind.

Social media sites prioritize simplicity and quickness, making it simple to browse across different feeds. Therefore, a message that can grab viewers’ attention right away is more likely to be successful. By subtly influencing viewers, subliminal advertising can accomplish this goal.

How to Use Subliminal Advertising Effectively in Social Media Marketing

1. Start with your brand’s identity:

   Your branding components, including logos, colors, and associations with emotions, are crucial to your advertising initiatives. Consider the smiley arrow in the Amazon logo, which conjures up images of happiness while also representing the company’s wide range of products, which go from A to Z. If you don’t already have a logo, think about developing one that communicates the mission and core principles of your company. If you already have a logo, consider making a little adjustment to it so that it corresponds with the idea or feeling you want to portray in a certain social media advertisement. Don’t undervalue the power of your branding components, as they have a big impact on how viewers see you and how engaged they are.

2. Excite your senses:

   To interest viewers and leave a lasting impression, use sensory components like color, images, and music. To appeal to numerous senses, take into account the associations and feelings that various senses arouse and carefully incorporate these elements into your advertisement. To keep people interested, vary how you use sensory aspects. For example, space out short video segments or graphics, or use specific colors in your advertisement.

3. Watch your typography and graphics:

   Fonts and images are key components of effective advertising. Similar to Amazon’s well-known arrow and smiling mouth logo, a single, well-designed graphic can entirely change the impact of your commercial. The choice of typeface can also influence how the viewer feels; for instance, a fluid, handwritten cursive font conveys an entirely different feeling than a frightening font. Your audience and overall message must be carefully considered, along with the images and typefaces you use, to ensure the success of your advertising campaign.

4. Use audio to evoke feelings:

   Even more subtly than visual components, audio can be a channel for subliminal messaging. It’s not necessary to go to such lengths for advertising goals, despite the fact that TV shows have shown people deploying clandestine messages contained in audio files. A straightforward yet successful strategy is to choose the right music or noises to go with your advertisement. For an advertisement promoting a cashback shopping app, for example, you might use a music with lyrics that are pertinent to your message or related sounds like coins clinking. You can significantly influence your target audience by doing this.

5. Take product placement into account:

   Product placement is evident in Instagram advertisements, especially those created by influencers, even when it is not overtly displayed. An influencer promoting a beauty company, for instance, would show off her typical morning routine. The items might not be the main subject of any photo, but they might show up in a number of them, like on a shelf or a sink when someone is washing their face or curling their hair. The brain nevertheless registers these product images as it interprets the commercial, despite them not being the primary focus.

6. Make an effort to give it meaning:

   Subliminal advertising has historically been employed in creative ways to convey messages that are unrelated to the main topic of the advertisement. For instance, many businesses have utilized sexual allusions to promote everything from clothing to food. However, when it’s extremely pertinent to your target demographic, subliminal advertising might have a better influence on your social media marketing. Instead of relying on shock value, concentrate on your advertisement’s message and how to engage its target market.

Should Your Social Media Strategy Include Subliminal Advertising?

Subliminal messaging is one marketing tactic that not every firm will find effective. But it might be worthwhile to try out a single or two social media initiatives. Creating emotional connections and being aware of product placement are only two examples of subliminal advertising strategies that may be used in general social media marketing.

Include social media share buttons on your website or blog to broaden the audience for your social media material. With just one click, your visitors may instantly share your material on all of their social media accounts, thus increasing the size of your audience.