Here
we have a reproduction of an ad produced by the American Association
of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) in the 1980's. It is
The ad contains two principal secondary images i.e. facial representions. Each 'face' is quite substantial in size and presumably intended to trigger negative emotional moods. Both of the 'faces' can be seen in the thumbnail. But, if you are in doubt about what these look like, click on the image to see a larger version of this ad.
Next,
look next at the stalk of the cherry. Consider this as the back
of a woman's The Frankenstein face simply seems rather sorrowful and 'hung-over' but the poor woman is quite clearly 'drowning' (her sorrows?) in her drink. The emotions that are triggered by these two images may in fact be concern and pity rather than the fear, anxiety and disgust triggered by the repulsive and horrific content of many spirits ads. When one views larger copies of the ad some additional unpleasant faces can be noted: some are human, some are ghostly. This difference in emphasis on the grotesque and horrific distinguishes the AAAA ad from genuine spirits ads and suggests there was a somewhat different 'hand' at work. Despite the fact that the ad displays considerable skill in the embedding of secondary imagery, whoever created it refrained from presenting the full panoply of grotesque images relatively common in spirits ads. In effect, the technique is that of the alcohol ad manipulator but the content of the ad is more subdued and less emotive than expected. This could be because the ad is not associated with any particular product or company. However, the ad could simply be a notable example of an artist demonstrating his/her artistic skill - and the incompetence of his/her employer at detecting embedded imagery. See the art page for an example of a painter incorporating 'faces' into the foliage of trees and other examples. Such non-commercial use of embedded imagery might suggest an explanation that would let the AAAA 'off the hook' regarding venality. However, it would still raise questions about their competence and adherence to reasonable ethical standards at the time the ads were produced. This
ad was only one of at least three ads in a sustained campaign by
the AAAA to counter
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From A to Z If the ad illustrated above had been intentionally produced by the AAAA to influence consumers it would be indicative of a cynical and callous disregard for the consumer. It would also be judged highly reprehensible and unethical for a professional association to produce such an ad. Moreover, if they were attempting to gull the public into believing that subliminal advertising techniques did not exist - and there were no dissenting voices from within the profession - one is left to wonder about the integrity of members of the advertising profession. Your views on this matter would be welcomed. But, as noted, the nature of the 'faces' evident in this AAAA ad raises questions about the intentions of those who produced it. The faces in the ad are not noticeably distressing when compared with the type of imagery discussed by Wilson Key in his books or noted in other spirits ads ( some are illustrated elsewhere in this Web Site ). This 'deficiency' may have arisen because the ad was not intent on inducing a mood conducive to the consumption of a specific product. The alternative interpretation may be that it was simply an artist having 'some fun' whilst producing a rather 'run of the mill' ad. There is some evidence to support the latter interpretation in another ad in the same series, this features a curious example of an attractive young woman shaving. ![]() In the ad in question, the woman's jaw and cheeks are covered in shaving lather. As with the ad above, this second ad also seems to contain a standard example of secondary imagery. The letters s e x are embedded in the shaving soap on her chin and overlap her neck. They are so faint they do not stand out on the screen. But, as with the 'drink's ad above, this ad is open to an alternative interpretation. It could also have been part of a complex, professional 'in joke'. The reasoning behind this interpretation once again draws upon more obvious features in the ad. Impressed in the lather on the woman's right cheek are two 'streaks'. These could have occurred if she had drawn her fingers through the lather. However, the streaks are not perfectly aligned, as would be the case if two fingers were drawn through the lather at the same time. The resulting 'impression' can therefore be interpreted as offering a 'two fingered salute'. Whether the 'salute' is offered to all of the naive members of the public who viewed the ad or simply addressed to those who commissioned the ad cannot be determined. If it were the latter this would be a very private joke indeed. A third, rather unlikely, possibility is that all the ads in the series were conceived with manipulative intent. But, additionally, one should note the ads were produced by an extremely sophisticated and defensive individual ( or individuals ). An individual who had the perspicacity to 'recognize' there were a number of interpretations that could be applied to each ad. This offered the possibility of a 'fall back' position if the secondary content of the ads were brought to public attention by an astute viewer. The ad agency and the personnel involved could then defend themselves using this 'fall back' position . Responsibility could be denied on the grounds that the ads were simply a professional 'in-joke', admittedly a joke that might have been in very poor taste, but a joke nevertheless. |
AAAA Conclusions Readers,
you can help decide the outcome of the author's personal debate
regarding the AAAA ads. As noted above, there were others
ads in the same series. If anyone can supply the author with
copies of these, electronic or printed (he already has a copy of
the armchair ad), further analysis might make it possible to determine
whether the ads had manipulative intent or whether they were simply
an 'in-joke' for self indulgent members of the But, note this. Whatever the initial status of these ads, it is remarkable that no-one has commented on them in print. The layperson is unlikely to possess the degree of expertise and interest necessary to identify the secondary imagery in the ads. However, it is surprising that no artist or member of the advertising profession has acknowledged their existence even though the ads have even appeared in a number of textbooks on advertising and consumer behaviour - usually as illustrations accompanying a statement to the effect that subliminal advertising was nonsense. Again, no-one has noticed or commented on the covert aspects of these ads. See the Expert Page. Additionally, if you think embedded, secondary imagery, simi-subliminal or 'subliminal' advertising is a historical phenomenon then think again. If you don't look at any other pages, have a look at the Ads of the Month page. This offers examples from October 1998 to December 2000. Secondary or embedded imagery in advertising is alive and well, unfortunately, as they possess the potential to influence people without their awareness.
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At around the same period that the AAAA was producing their ads, Seagram's also produced a series of interesting ads. These again demonstrated the ability of advertising artists to 'pull the wool' over the eyes of the viewing public - and, presumably, influence them without their conscious awareness. Illustrated here are the two ads, both of which, with the application of a little bit of imagination, can be shown to depict meaningful facial features. True they are not human but then the function of secondary imagery in advertising is to present information in a disguised manner and trigger emotions and influence the formation of ideas. Their function is not to depict reality accurately, nor for the figures to be consciously recognized and appraised. In addition to those aspects of this ad that are accurately represented and can be consciously appraised there are elements that are embedded and manipulative.
There is some slight variation in their 'noses'. The figure on the left has a 'button' nose and that on the right a slightly more noticeable protrusion. In some respects, there is nothing really anomalous about these images. The 'cheerfully sozzled alien' figures fit neatly into the message conveyed by the ad and provide additional reinforcement* for the caption at the head of the ad. The caption is, of course, 'Refreshing Seagram's Gin has hidden pleasure'. Ostensibly the pleasure is to be associated with the pair of individuals who are 'constructed' when the ad is folded, bringing two half images into conjunction with each other to produce a new, composite, image. The pleasure to be gained from Seagram's, if Seagram's shareholders are to make a considerable profit, does, however, require that a considerable proportion of Seagram's Gin drinkers do get sozzled, hence the additional secondary imagery. When one looks at a larger version of the ad, or the original, presumably full page ad, such images are unlikely to be recognized They 'disappear' as attention is focused upon other elements within the ad. Additionally, the caption helps 'direct' conscious attention towards other activities and also 'deflects' attention away from the embedded artwork. A second Seagram's ad also has two 'faces' embedded within the artwork. The larger of the two is, in fact, only the lower half of a face as the upper half 'dissolves' into a spray of bubbles. The most notable features of this 'face' are the 'chin' and the rather full lower 'lip'. In the thumbnail the chin is formed by the lower edge of the ice cube, whereas the lips are formed by the upper portion of the same cube. The left hand cheek of the figure is dark and the left hand side is formed around a 'depression' where the pattern on the glass is partially shaded. Note that the left hand side of the ice cube is incomplete, rather than partially obscured by bubbles. If one wished to decide on the emotion associated with this face one would be forced to acknowledge that there is no obvious 'feel' to this ad. Feeling, in other words, is seemingly absent. However, this is not the case. The ad bears a similar caption to the first Seagram's ad noted above and other distracting features except that in this case there is no mention of hidden pleasure. Instead the ad captures the distressing side of excessive alcohol consumption and the tragedy of those who consume alcohol to help cope with psychological pain, distress and anxiety. It also reflects back to heavy drinkers the fears and anxieties that bedevil them. The ads thus attempt to 'force' them into a mood where they might begin further excessive drinking. These ads are thus examples of a reprehensible practice that attempts to engender negative moods that dependent drinkers try to control through the use of alcohol.
For
a critical review of Haberstroh's book by the author look it up
on the Amazon.com web The frontiers of perception thus require you to go where few have gone before. For recent spirits ads using essentially the same techniques as the Seagram's ads beam your way to the Jim Beam, Disaronno and Jack Daniel's ads on this site (various pages, including Ads of the Month). Your Enterprise will be rewarded. (Sorry,guys'n'gals, especially if you are Star Trek trekkies. You can tell I was beginning to get carried away with word play). More Ads from the Archives. Click here for Wilson Key. Click here for Colonel Gadaffi. For full size examples of some of the ads on this page go to the Image Download page. |
Last Revised: 20th September, 2001 |