Subliminal Advertising

I came across this video today that tested your awareness.

PLEASE WATCH IT FIRST BEFORE YOU READ, 

that way I wont spoil anything! 

It was really funny because even though I faintly remember watching this video in high school, I still didn't manage to see the moonwalking bear. 

After I watched this video, I began to think of all the subliminal messages we are exposed to on a daily basis. Reading Megan Duffy's blog, I decided to immediately purchase a copy of "Buy-Ology" by Martin Lindstrom. He talked about neuromarketing and how science can be used to dig deeper into the unconsious, therefore finding out what really captures our attention, what sticks, and what doesn't. It was really cool because I used to be obsessed with subliminal messaging, and used to google for hours finding subliminal messaging in Disney (quite nasty, actually), TV Ads, TV shows, commercials, and even Logos. Here are just a few that still sick with me.

SM in Disney Films.

DISNEY 

Here is also a link to an interesting youtube video showing some examples of SM in commercials/ads. 

Subliminal Messages

 

It's really crazy how even though many of us have seen these ads/commercials/movies/logos multiple times, we still fail to notice unless we are told exactly what we need to look for. Like the moonwalking bear in the first video, I would have never noticed unless I was told to :P.

 

Age Defying Barbie.

Stemming from Sunny Pao's Real Beauty blog, I cam across this photo while randomly searching through the internet. I found this photo really funny, because if you think about, Barbie is a little over 50 years old. Imagine all the revenue that Mattel would make if they started releasing 'age appropriate' and 'realistically proportional' Barbies? They could buy out the world! If you didn't take not of the sarcasm there, Im disclosing it to you now. :) If Barbie looked somewhat similar to her age, or even proportionally resembled somewhat of a realistic female physique, Mattel would skyrocket ... down. Our generation has been so influenced by the media and their standards that what would have been seen as normal, beautiful, and sexy 30-50 years ago is now being seen as inadequate. For instance, in Mattels case, if Barbie looked like this aged Barbie then less people would buy her. If Barbie gained an extra 20-30 pounds, would people still buy her? I think it all depends on the marketing. In our society to date, everything is photoshopped to be slimmer, smoother, and more vibrant. Nothing we see in the advertistements (billboards, television, packaging) is ever the way that it actually looks like in real life. We're so used to seeing everything being placed on this high pedastol, when even most of us will never achieve in the first place because it's literally impossible. Psychologically, this is very messed up.

YOUTUBE as a marketing source.

 Being a big fan of youtube, I have been watching random videos from as long as I can remember. Youtube started as a simple video-sharing and hosting website where anyone could post random videos that could be viewed by anyone anywhere. People started watching everything from the harry Potter Puppet Pals, laughing babies, skateboard accidents (ouch), to "Charlie bit my finger!".

Charlie Bit my Finger!

Harry Potter Puppet Pals

Now, not only is youtube a video sharing website, but also a multi-billion dollar making machine. Not only does google make giant sums of profits, but also the youtubers who constantly post their videos. Many of these youtube 'celebrities' have become so widely known that websites such as Guru Gossip and the more explicit unknowncritic blog (which has gotten so severe in bashing many of these youtubers that it is now closing down). Through the "Youtube Partner Plan", members who constantly attract a steady sum of views on their videos are able to apply and earn money through the people who watch their videos. They earn this money by agreeing to have advertisements placed in their videos, and in this space to the right of them. (If you dont know
what Im talking about, go visit one of the top Youtube videos and look for yourself.) This new viral marketing era, where anyone can be targeted from anywhere, is making many Companies who post their ads much more known and successful.

Here are a couple examples of the different types of youtube advertisements you can see regularly. Many of them are seen on big youtube 'celebrities' videos, such as Shaytards, LisaNova, KassemG, Smosh, peterchao (left), itskingsleybitch,Phillipdefranco, and more.

Firstly, there are pretty much 5 most visited categories on youtube: Entertainment/Film&Animation, Gaming, How-To & Style, Comedy, and People and Blogs. Each of these categories is made up of youtubers who attempt to bring viewers something in that category.
How does this relate to marketing? Well, in the "How-To & Style" category, for instance, we have youtubers such as DulceCandy87, allthatglitters21, and julieg who post videos relating on beauty, fashion, and this seasons most popular: Halloween Costumers & Ideas. Using the POWER OF YOUTUBE, various companies place their ads who promote products that have to do with what the youtuber is takling about in their video. For instance, in this video: Halloween Tutorials, a giant ad to the right can be seen that says: "HALLOWEEN COSTUMES, $1 Sale!!!" Clickign the ad takes us to www.odgirl.com , a website that specailizes in Halloween Costumes.
Another example is Shaycarl and the Shaytards. Shay, having quit his former job, found his epiphany on youtube. Simply starting from a few videos of his kids, his life became so popular that he regularly obtains 500,000 views on every video. Artists such as Bob Dylan, and weight loss companies have placed their campaigns on his website.
Recently, Kia has taken the plunge and started their campaign on youtube. Choosing the most viewed 'celebrities' on youtube, they have found people such as Smosh, Lisanova, and Shaycarl who will be promoting Kia due to the large amount of viewers that look up to them and follow them (religiously, in some cases). They can be seen here: Kia Soul .

The product placement that youtube offers is unbelievable. The male demographic watching videos in the Gaming section is not going to be bombarded by Tampax/Playtex ads, discounts on makeup, or Coastal Scents Cosmetic sets. Companies, big or small, are able to expand and more accurately reach out to their target market. The power of youtube is unmistakable. Whether you're a new starting company with a unique product, or a larger company wishing to expand their targeted demographic, Youtube is a media-wide phenomenon that is one of the most powerful marketing tools (in my opinion) to date.

FOR YOUTUBE!