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Could subliminal advertising elect a President? This novel investigates that interesting scenario.
Rick Craig is a founding partner of the Atlanta ad agency, Collins & Craig. Unexpectedly, an enormous conglomerate, Miramar Media (helmed by Maxwell Hunter) bids to own the small ad agency. They set the company to work on three accounts: one for Fresh! soda, one for Chartwell Books, and one for a long-shot presidential candidate, Congressman "Hap" Hapworth.
Why would such a large media company want to control such a small ad agency like C&C? Craig smells a rat. After some twists and turns, Craig discovers that the three advertising campaigns will include subliminal advertising designed to boost Hapworth's image and tear down Hapworth's opponents in the Presidential race. As can be guessed, Craig's goal is to expose the plotting of Maxwell--with the help of psychology researcher, Dr. Paul W. Prescott, M.D., author of the (hastily recalled) book, Mind Control: The Role of the Sub-Conscious in Influencing Behavior.
How realistic is the book? Well, Jordan's novel sketches an ambitious subliminal advertising campaign--including video, audio, and print-based subliminal messages (pp. 252-286). And there are a couple of references to the "popcorn experiment":
During a six-week test in a movie theater, more than forty-five thousand
movie patrons perceived subliminal suggestions flashed on the screen: 'Hungry? Eat Popcorn.' They sold half again as much popcorn as usual. And the machine they used was a tachistoscope... (page 128)
But, alas, the so-called "popcorn experiment" has been long-ago debunked. For further discussion, see:
*Does subliminal advertising actually work? (BBC News, 2015)
*The Shocking Drink And Incredible Coke History Of Subliminal Advertising (Business Insider, 2011)
Rick Craig is a founding partner of the Atlanta ad agency, Collins & Craig. Unexpectedly, an enormous conglomerate, Miramar Media (helmed by Maxwell Hunter) bids to own the small ad agency. They set the company to work on three accounts: one for Fresh! soda, one for Chartwell Books, and one for a long-shot presidential candidate, Congressman "Hap" Hapworth.
Why would such a large media company want to control such a small ad agency like C&C? Craig smells a rat. After some twists and turns, Craig discovers that the three advertising campaigns will include subliminal advertising designed to boost Hapworth's image and tear down Hapworth's opponents in the Presidential race. As can be guessed, Craig's goal is to expose the plotting of Maxwell--with the help of psychology researcher, Dr. Paul W. Prescott, M.D., author of the (hastily recalled) book, Mind Control: The Role of the Sub-Conscious in Influencing Behavior.
How realistic is the book? Well, Jordan's novel sketches an ambitious subliminal advertising campaign--including video, audio, and print-based subliminal messages (pp. 252-286). And there are a couple of references to the "popcorn experiment":
During a six-week test in a movie theater, more than forty-five thousand
movie patrons perceived subliminal suggestions flashed on the screen: 'Hungry? Eat Popcorn.' They sold half again as much popcorn as usual. And the machine they used was a tachistoscope... (page 128)
But, alas, the so-called "popcorn experiment" has been long-ago debunked. For further discussion, see:
*Does subliminal advertising actually work? (BBC News, 2015)
*The Shocking Drink And Incredible Coke History Of Subliminal Advertising (Business Insider, 2011)
Also, readers might find Michael Crichton's take on the concept interesting. He directed and wrote the screenplay to the movie, "Looker" (1981)
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