Subliminal messages

Advertising is supposed to be impactful and clever without overpowering. A good advertisement is one which sells the product without drawing attention to itself.In short, be subtle.

And advertisements have a long history of being subtle. Whether hiding a double-meaning in a logo or working some Photoshop magic, subliminal ads definitely meet the criteria of clever and the more clever the ad, the better we feel about getting it and the better we feel about the product. Win-win for advertisers!

Heres our list of 8 ads and logos with subliminal messages:

1) Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola Halloween Ad

This is subliminal messaging at its core subtle, but still clever. Pepsi released the image on the left and Coca-Cola responded with the image on the right. Pepsis original ad is subliminal in that it makes the viewer think and chuckle a bit: its funny to suggest that getting a Coke when you wanted a Pepsi is scary. Coca-Colas response is perfect, as well, and becomes a great learning tool: sometimes, the tagline really does make the image.

2) Milwaukee Brewers

TheMIlwaukee Brewers logofrom 1978 to 1993 is an iconic example of a subliminal logo. Composed of an M and B to make a catchers mitt, this logo was designed by University of Wisconsin art education student,Tom Meindel.

3) Pirates of the Caribbean

Disneys Pirates of the Caribbean bridge the gap between family-friendly and adult action movie, and did it well the franchise has earned over$3.7 billion in box office sales alone. While I cant say subliminal messaging and the visual overlap between the skull-and-crossbones and Mickeys ears are the reason why, I still love finding this secret.

4) Amazon

An oldie, but a goodie, many dont see the subliminal message in Amazons logo thecurrent logo has been in use since around 2000,and it doesnt seem to be going anywhere. And why should it? The cute A to Z arrowandgrinning face work so well.

5) SFX Magazine

SFX is a sci-fi magazine that began in 1995 the mag focuses on sci-fi and fantasy news. And some subliminal messaging. Many sites have reportedthat the SFX logo often appears differentwhen women are on the cover, making the reader view the title as SEX. How much does sex sell? SFX has a circulation ofabout 26,000.

6) Tostitos

The Tostitos logo is fairly well-known, but you may have missed the subliminal message in it (and in every Tostitos ad that shows the logo). Notice the two friends sharing chips and salsa? I did, too and I wondered why it took me this long to find them.

7) Spartan Golf Club

While an advertising campaign might last for a quarter, a logo can last for years which gives a long shelf-life to a well-designed logo. This Spartan Golf Club logo is, in my opinion, one of the best. The design is great and nottoosubtle.

8)FedEx

Another oldie-but-goodie subliminal message can be found in the FedEx logo. Whitespace in the logo clearly shows an arrow an indication of the companys speed and ability to get your delivery from Point A to Point B

Subliminal Messages Can Turna Logo or Advertisement Into Art

Subliminal messages can do a lot of legwork for you well after the campaign is done. Great ads will be shared, and reach a near-viral status, if the message is clever and subtle.

But of course, even the best ad will eventually fall out of style if youre looking to make a lasting impression on your prospects and customers (and make the most of your marketing spend) be subtle and clever withallyour content