NationStates Jolt Archive

Outlaw Subliminal Advertising

The United Nations,

Recognising the necessity for the use of advertising in business and government, and

Believing that businesses and governments should be allowed to advertise using relevant and fair techniques,

Pleased that UNR#53 has declared a moratorium (temporary ban) on the use of subliminal advertising, yet

Aggravated that some businesses and governments revert to using subliminal messages in order to send information to consumers and citizens when this is a clear breach of human rights.

For the purpose of this resolution, subliminal messages are to be defined as a signal or message embedded in another object, designed to pass below the normal limits of perception; messages indiscernible to the conscious mind, but are perceptible to the subconscious or deeper mind so not immediately recognised by the human receiving the message.

This type of messaging can be used to send commands to the person in question, such as to buy a certain product or to vote a certain party. This breaches the right of humans as individuals as they feel obliged to do carry out the command given to them.

Possibly more severely than companies making consumers buy from them, certain corrupt political parties could use this messaging in their advertising, possibly winning them an election, and so meaning the party is effectively cheating at an election and destroying the democratic electoral system. The outcome of a minor political party gaining power could be dreadful: entire nations could be forced into thinking thoughts which would otherwise be shunned by the human mind, such as racist or genocidal thoughts, using governmental propaganda. Such patterns of behaviour could spread to other nations, meaning entire governments and their electorates would be overthrown by an unfair practice.

For the sake of human rights and political fairness, the UN is urged to fully outlaw all subliminal advertising and messages.

I was thinking Human Rights-Significant.

Can someone please tell me what they think? I'm not very good at resolutions.

Human Rights-Significant

Is there a dont sudden vote uncontrolled epidemic of for subliminal this advertising I'm unaware of?


OOC: Sorry couldn't resist.

I suppose I was asking for that. But seriously, any good ideas on how the improve this'll be welcomed.

*cough* youwillkillgeorgebush *cough*

OOC: I did a collage research paper on subliminal advertising. And to be quite honest after experimenting myself and doing months of research I can tell you that subliminal advertising is not a problem in the real world. The subconscious levels of perception can be influenced of course. But the thing is what they influence is so general that the effect is indistinguishable from normal biological processes.

One experiment in the 1960's actively used a 1/16th of a second frame of an ice cold Coca-Cola in drive in movie theaters. Their findings were that people did buy Coca-Cola but not in any greater amount than they did without "subliminal advertising" than they did with the "subliminal advertising". In fact just as many brought their own beer, water and any other number of beverages and drank the exact same amount as they would have otherwise.

In short it is impossible to implant the message drink coke or vote for Republicans subliminally....but it is possible to implant the concept "you are thirsty/hungry/need to go pee/etc"

Indeed the only form of "subliminal" advertising that has worked is the careful selection of color when designing advertisement billboards, posters, and electronic communications. Certain colors in certain cultures are associated with different things...and as such are a product of culture rather than the advertising itself as those connotations would exist with or without the actual advertising in question.

As that is the only form of subliminal advertising that I know of that works; I think a UN resolution establishing that all advertisements be done in "Black and White" would be impossible to pass.

If you have evidence to the contrary I would love to see it as I am still researching this topic even though I turned in that research paper ages ago and got top marks.

OOC:

Ok, first thing: if you want to impose a definite ban, your last line should be rewritten to 'For the sake of human rights and political fairness [a phrase I would strongly advise against using], any use of subliminal advertising and messages is outlawed'.

But - and this is where it gets a little complex - I'm really not sure of the status of the moratorium. There is no mechanism in the UN for the effects of a proposal to be amended, other than a full repeal, and the mods have said in the past resolutions that have timed effects are probably illegal (the original resolution #53 predated this by some way). So I'm not convinced the moratorium can actually be lifted, even if an RPed panel of experts does rule them ok (in which case, what would be the problem...) so this proposal might well be redundant. I would strongly suggest waiting for some other players, and hopefully a mod, to comment before resubmitting this. Good luck anyway.

*snip*
Indeed the only form of "subliminal" advertising that has worked is the careful selection of color when designing advertisement billboards, posters, and electronic communications. Certain colors in certain cultures are associated with different things...and as such are a product of culture rather than the advertising itself as those connotations would exist with or without the actual advertising in question.

As that is the only form of subliminal advertising that I know of that works; I think a UN resolution establishing that all advertisements be done in "Black and White" would be impossible to pass.

If you have evidence to the contrary I would love to see it as I am still researching this topic even though I turned in that research paper ages ago and got top marks.

OOC_ I read an article in an issue of New Scientist magazine, a few months ago, which mentioned that various shops had apparently had some measurable success with the use of relevant scents (which might operate at a more deeply subconscious level than visual or auditory cues): One of the main examples was that wafting the smell of freshly-baked bread through the store (or even into the street beyond) apparently did tend cause an increase in sales at their bakery counters...

In fact just as many brought their own beer, water and any other number of beverages and drank the exact same amount as they would have otherwise.

OOC Beer at the Drive In, ahh the good old days.

IC: We refer you back to my earlier comment, sans the factiousness. Is there are sudden epidemic of subliminal advertising