Communication and Globalization

HISTORY OF THE 25TH FRAME. THE SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE

Maria FLOREA1

Lecturer, PhD, Apollonia University of Iaşi, Romania

1

Corresponding author: Maria Florea; e-mail maria.florea@tvr.ro

Abstract Therefore, these images have been perceived

The visual subliminal perceives 24 frames per second. only subconsciously. The experiment lasted for
In this sequence succession there can be inserted the 25th 6 weeks, 45,000 people having been exposed to
frame, in no relation with the visible message, yet perceived this kind of impulses. Studies have shown that
consciously by the human brain. The subliminal images
are invisible at normal speed. The eye would not see them after this experiment the sales have increased
and the spectator would not question this image. Sigmund with 57.5 % for popcorn and 18.1% for Coca
Freud has demonstrated that a word or an image can Cola. The results were shocking, and the
activate a juncture, a complex, a repudiated feeling. But
academic field was sceptic in what concerns
even if images or usual words, which are part of the
immediate reality, come up weird, forced in a context, their validity. Moreover, in 1984, James Vicary
there is a relation of retrospect to a domain, to a form or a has admitted in Advertising Age Magazine that
structure in the subconscious, fixed through other anterior everything was a fake, an attempt to manipulate.
relations. In transmitting a message, what certainly exists
is only the intention. On the way of transmitting, the
Despite all these, the concept of ”subliminal
message suffers various modifications, and if it reaches the publicity” has resisted, being once again backed
subconscious zone, it can be no longer controlled and up, in the middle of the last century, by the book
enters a medium with its own mechanisms of action. entitled ”The Hidden Persuaders”, written by
Keywords: communication, subliminal message,
subconscious, frame, mass media. Vance Packard, where Vicarys experiment is
being presented as a form of clandestine
”The whole is more than the sum of the parts” manipulation.
pleads professor Beau Lotto from the University The literature of the field demonstrates the
College of London, which considers that the existence of 15 classification criteria of
audience sees 10% of an image with the eyes and publicity, which determine the apparition of
the rest with the brain. 35 types of publicity, inclusively 15 subtypes.
Max Sutherland and Alice K. Sylvester accredit Among the used criteria, I would mention
the idea that this is ”the biggest myth of all”: the publicity orientation, objective, nature of the
fact that publicity manipulates by using the message or goods, the psychological processes
subliminal stimulus. They consider that we only involved (herein are identified the rational-,
speak of a modern legend, which does not mechanical-, integrative-, suggestive- and
determine the increase of sales for a specific emotional-type publicities). Furthermore, the
product. The phenomenon has taken in ampleness geographical criteria, the expected effect, the
in 1957, at the moment when, in a cinema in New communication channels, but also the level of
Jersey, a marketing specialist, the American perception, are taken into account. In this
James Vicary, would have introduced in the film category we have a conscious level of perception
”Picnic” the slogans ”Drink Coca Cola” and and a subliminal one1.
”Hungry? Eat Popcorn”. These images and the In 1978, Weiner has redone the test made by
respective writings repeated themselves each 5 Vicary. He infiltrated the word boeuf (beef) in the
seconds, without being perceived consciously by journal of a film, and hoped that this would
the audience, their length being under 50 millisec, determine the increase in sales, according to the
therefore under brain’s capacity of reception. previous model. As a matter of fact, during the

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Maria FLOREA

break, the audience did not buy more beef

sandwiches. This experiment has called once
again in question the power of influencing
consumer’s behaviour, through a subliminal
message.
Jean-Noel Kapferer demonstrates, on the basis
of various experiments, that the subliminal
threshold is variable, depending on stimulus,
observer and context.
He has emphasised the fact that the force of
the visual image has greater impact over the
subconscious. The image does not demand a Fig.2. Subliminal messages, aggressors and victims
prompt decoding and it is immediately with a posting number type message
assimilated. Doina Ruşti appreciates that, no
matter if we talk about the image of a word or The commercial without the inserted message
about a photo, the information infiltrates into a has been tested on a group of volunteers, and the
specific scheme which brings back sometimes in one with the subliminal message on another
supraliminal various new meanings. group of pupils. During the view, experimental
The visual subliminal perceives 24 frames per data prevailed, by means of a cerebral headpiece
second. In this sequence succession, there can be that recorded the alpha waves, responsible for
inserted a 25th frame, with no connection with the concentrating activity, and the beta waves,
the visible message, yet perceived consciously by specific to the dreaming area. The pulse and
the human brain. The subliminal images are concentration of oxygen in the blood have been
invisible at normal speed. The eye would not see written down and the expressions of every
them and the spectator would not question this participant at the experiment have been recorded
image. with a video-device.
Such a study has been developed in 2014 with The analyses performed demonstrated that
the pupils of the ”Petru Rares” National College only one child has managed to perceive the
in Suceava, who were asked to realize a moment in which the subliminal message has
commercial for a drug. In order to increase been introduced.
progressively the frequency of frames, they have Although specialized studies still argue that
imagined a child running and becoming a only one subliminal image cannot modify
teenager, then an adult (Fig. 1). Exactly at the considerably the meaning of a message, the
moment when the rhythm of the frames was of involuntary reception of some visual stimuli can
25 Hz per second, they have introduced on the change the back-up imaginative fond (p. 81).
screen a posting number type message. (Fig.2). Especially in publicity, iconic experiences have
been made by introducing some images to
accentuate the suggestion already created by the
context. For example, in relation with Marlboro
cigars commercials (Fig.3), Flavio Mario de
Alcantara Calazans assert that letters l and b,
being bigger than the others, even than the
capital letters, create a sexual suggestion and
give the impression of a penis with black testicles.
Another interpretation says that the two letters
suggest number 11 which, in St. Augustins
preachers, represent the blazon of sin, being
considered a symbol of disorder and conflict.
Fig. 1. Subliminal messages, aggressors and victims Last but not least, the white triangle above the

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 HISTORY OF THE 25TH FRAME. THE SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE

Marlboro writing is assimilated with a pyramid,

a mason symbol.

Fig. 5. Star of Ishtar

In one scene in the film, there is presented, in

a secondary plan, a Christmas decoration (fig. 5),
which is actually the Star of Ishtar, known as the
goddess who gives birth to the world. On one
hand, she is loving, but on the other hand, she is
revengeful, egoistic and unfaithful.

Fig.3. Marlboro cigars commercials

Not few are the artistic films in which hidden,

subliminal messages predominate. One of them
is Eyes Wide Shut, directed by Stanley Kubrick,
Fig. 6. Magical circle of an invocation ritual
with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in leading
roles (Fig. 4).

Fig.4. Artistic films with hidden Fig. 7. Magical circle from an old sorcery and
subliminal messages incantation manual

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Maria FLOREA

Another scene in the film presents the magical information must find a favourable field and
circle of an invocation ritual (Fig. 6). To the right even a predisposition.
we have the image of a magical circle from an If we can say that repetition creates a basic
old sorcery and incantation manual (Fig. 7). structure, the suggestion, on the other hand, is
To decode the image, a perception system produced in varied areas, actions in time and
anchored in the subconscious is being used. subtly manipulates the conscience. Especially the
Considering that any context creates a waiting artistic emotion has effects in the plan of defusing
effect, we can deduce that there are three theories suggestion. Any piece of art firstly produces a
of reception2: basic message, but it also generates some series
a. In the first stage, a prototypical comparison of subtle, imperceptible suggestions.
takes place in receptors’ mind; along with the The manipulation experiences through
perception, the already existing forms are language are themselves based on the capacity
being activated; of suggestion of words, accrediting the idea that
b. In the second stage, a mechanism of formal some persons have visual memory, while others
analysis comes into action; excel in audio-reception.
c. In the third stage, the reception fragmented In this process of producing and transmitting
phenomenon is being produced. the subliminal publicity message there exists a
To read a text, there is no need to identify each series of causal factors with concerted action3:
individual letter, but only a global approach, 1. In most countries, inclusively Romania,
based itself on similitudes. There is a matrix on subliminal publicity is legally forbidden. This
which images can be combined, even beyond the fact sustains the idea of the existence of this
conscious threshold. However, these images are phenomenon, as you cannot forbid something
in uncontrolled proportion to other structures which does not exist.
and associate themselves with meanings and 2. The myth of subliminal publicity agrees with
experiences from the area of repudiated
the allmightiness of publicity.
experiments. Even if inadvertent entry of an
3. Mass media has contributed to the creation
image in the subconscious is difficult to control,
and promotion of this myth.
most often the type of matrixes, which have the
4. From a scientific point of view, researches
approximate form to which they go to, can be
show that subliminal perception is an objective
anticipated.
fact, even if sceptics sustain that such a
Freud has demonstrated that a word or an
demonstration cannot sustain the idea of
image can activate a juncture, a complex, a
manipulation through signals that are not
repudiated feeling. But even if images or usual
conscious.
words, which are part of the immediate reality,
5. There are some contexts in which subliminal
come up weird, forced in a context, there is a
manipulation is accepted: we can be
relation of retrospect to a domain, to a form or a
manipulated unconsciously when persons
structure in the subconscious, fixed through
have a low degree of involvement in their
other anterior relations.
attitudinal decision, inclusively in the
Persuasive communication depends on
consuming behaviour.
several factors: the personal history of each
individual, the differences in education, Max Suterland and Alice K. Sylvester consider
personality, behaviour etc., all these determining that subliminal perception depends on the
a different acceptance of a message. There are, sensitivity level of each individual, a limit which
however, psychological and moral conditions varies not only from a person to another, but also
which can determine a standard behaviour. from a concrete state in which the respective
Generally, the information absorbed person experiences in that moment4.
subconsciously does not act immediately, and its ”We are conscious of what captures our
possibilities to activate diverse domains are attention and we are not conscious of what does
accidental, variable and multiple. To have a not capture our attention”, pleads William James.
reaction desired by the manipulator, this It has been established that the perceptive level

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depends on the tiredness degree, lack of sleep, phrases, sudden oblivion of a very familiar
alcohol or coffee-based drinks consumption, etc. name represents, in his opinion, camouflaging
In these conditions, there is no “final level”, but an upsetting intention that can be activated
it has been demonstrated that the level or through suggestions or by simply updating a
threshold for words that denominate food is feeling of guilt (ib. p. 13-14). In his opinion, the
lower when we are hungry than after we have lapse has been produced against the background
had eaten. of a repudiated feeling of guilt. In this way, the
Another demonstrated fact is that, at conscious wish to eliminate a construct from the conscious
level, the message does not act according to the zone determines a series of deviations, some
principle “all or nothing”, but gradually. of which about to be symbolically kept in the
Some theoreticians argue that instead of the subconscious. An example in this respect
“subliminal perception” concept, a more correct would be the inducted dream. Freud pleads
expression would be “superficial processing of that noises or whispered words in the ear of
information”. the dreamer get to the subliminal zone in
Specialists assert that not even in the case of suggestive forms7.
subliminal publicity with sexual message would In such cases, manipulation from the part of
the intention of the audience (to buy that product the press, politicians or advertising commercials
or not) be influenced. However, this subliminal may interfere.
publicity is considered an affront to professional Carl Gustav Jung defines the zone over the
ethics and it is legally forbidden. Or, one cannot conscious limen, as the unconscious. Jung considers
forbid something that does not exist. A dilemma that there is a collective memory of meanings,
out of which each one can benefit. structures and symbols with roots in the universal
Sigmund Freud considers that, at the border myths, to be manifested in nocturne dreams. In
between the conscious and the unconscious, the other words, there is information which comes
lapse feeling, namley the temporary oblivion from the personal experience and information
through notional collapse, is being produced5. In that belongs to the general existence. This
this chaos of the thought, says Freud, words information finds itself partially in the
seem to think out of the box, and some can unconscious area, being related with touching
capture other words through sympathy. The events of the human being.
threshold, known as limen or liminis, between the The subconscious zone is populated,
conscious and the unconscious, permits a unwillingly, with various pieces of information.
relatively easy crossing from an area to another. Under its influence, individuals can choose the
Freud considers that the subconscious area is a path on which they will go. Information under
labyrinth governed by mysterious rules, similar the conscious limen does not act directly over the
to those that act in an unknown universe. taken decisions, but it can create some blockages,
Upsetting, unaccepted messages, as well as can bring uncertainty in expressing a belief, can
accidentally forgotten experiences remain show up in dreams or can invade the mind of a
camouflaged in a zone situated under the limen sick person.
of the conscious6. Freud considers that fade Studies about the subconscious or about how
memories, the deja vu sensation, presumptions, can the information be stored within this area
anticipations or oneiric symbolism come all from influence our choices are few and not highly
the subconscious area of the human being. relevant. Specialists can, however, anticipate the
Practically, the subconscious is an inexhaustible reaction which comes from the subconscious
deposit of symbolical combinations, an based on events produced at the limit between
information bank about one’s personal history. the conscious and subconscious. The most
Fragmented oblivion and the lapse contain important conclusion is that influencing a
valuable data about the mechanisms which act decision by the intervention of information
at subliminal level. deposited in the subconscious depends not only
Freud pleads that not forgetting is an on the history of each individual in part, but also
accidental action. Any forgotten word, unfinished on the universe to which he reports.

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Shannon and Weaver have elaborated a modifications, and if it goes to the subconscious
mathematic theory of communication according zone, it can be no longer controlled, entering a
to which the message comes from a source medium which has its own mechanisms.
transmitted by an emitter, through a channel, Starting from the idea that the existing
being received by a receptor. On its way, the information about the message registered
message also receives other information from the subliminally is the result of a small number of
so-called parasitic sources. In this way, in the experiments, no clear-cut conclusion can be
communication process, the message modifies drawn as to the way in which it influences the
itself, often substantially, the process favouring conscious. The semiotic areas to which the
the occurrence of some information on diverse messages transmitted to the subconscious go can
bearings. The communication channel, the code be only approximately anticipated, sometimes
through which the message is being transmitted, partial reactions of the subject can be predicted
but also the possibilities of reception demonstrate but, until now, it could not be explained the
the existence of a linguistic universe, which whole journey of an information impregnated
modifies itself permanently. subliminally. One aspect is however
As known, a signifier contains more messages. demonstrated: the subconscious zone is active,
Whichever the complexity of communication, as proved by dreams, psychical diseases or art.
the language includes the possibility of continual One should not forget that repetition and the
metamorphosis. As Umberto Eco pleads for, the power of suggestion are two methods of
complexity of the message is explained by the immersing inside the conscious.
fact that it puts into circulation a cultural content,
not a real object. The individual history and the
one to which the respective character pertains Endnotes
influence any transmitted message through any 1. CHELCEA, S. (2012) The psychology of publicity. About
type of channel. One should take into account the visual commercials. Iaşi:Polirom Publishing House.
that every époque has its own existential code, pp 28, 29.
2. Dodwell, I.P.C. (1970) Visual Pattern Recognition.
as well as any individual evolves based on some Holt:New York Publishing House. p. 117.
values to which he had access. 3. CHELCEA, S. (2012) The psychology of publicity. About
Doina Ruşti, in the volume The subliminal the visual commercials. Iaşi:Polirom Publishing House.
message in the actual communication, considers that pp. 72, 73.
informational redundancy depends on several 4. SHUTERLAND, M., SYLVESTER, A.K. (2008)
factors, an aspect which makes the problem Advertising and the Mind of the Consumer: What Works,
What Doesn’t, and Why. Australia:Griffin Press. p. 60.
unwatchable schematically. Kapferer pleads for
5. SIGMUND, F. (1992) The psychology of immediate life.
the difficulties in communication occurring from Bucharest:Didactical and Pedagogical Publishing
the differences between the capacity of source House. p. 406.
and the capacity of channel8. 6. RUŞTI, D. (2004) The subliminal message in actual
The sense of redundancy which accompanies communication. Bucharest:Tritonic Publishing
transmission of a message gives birth to a infinite House. p. 12
series of combinations which extend formally 7. SIGMUND, F. (1993) The interpretation of dreams.
Bucharest:Scientific Publishing House. p. 101.
into the subconscious.
8. KAPFERER, J.-N. (2002) The ways of persuasion. The
In transmitting a message, what certainly way of influencing behaviours through mass media and
exists is only the intention. During its publicity. Bucharest:Comunicare.ro Publishing
transmission, the message suffers various House. p. 33.

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