Week 8 EOC: Subliminal Messaging

What is a subliminal message? A subliminal message is something that only your unconscious mind notices. The word subliminal comes from the word “limen,” which is another term for “threshold. They are messages that convey words, pictures, or sounds that are used in television or radio commercials, television shows or movies, print ads or recorded music. Usually when subliminal messages are seen or heard, they are not detected and they’re not recognized for what they really are. Actually, they will most likely be ignored by your conscious brain and be beyond the level of conscious perception. There have been many studies about subliminal messages and how they work and if they manipulate consumers. “But Shell is only the latest blue-chip company to conclude that the secret to a healthy bottom line lies not in tracking surveys or usage studies, but in the murky depths of the consumer unconscious.” The idea and use of these messages has been around since the late 19th century, and by the mid 20th century, the use of subliminal messaging in advertising was considered standard fare and companies were able to use them in advertising, especially visual messages where something would flash for a split second on a screen that would subliminally convince the viewer to act in a certain way. Consumers and people became utterly afraid these messages being used could “brainwash” themselves or others. The fear became so large and overwhelming that by the 1970s, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made the use of subliminal messaging in advertising illegal. “When they own the consumer mind — when they create such a perfect fit with her underlying identity needs — they become that much more powerful ... It’s fascinating to see how far companies have come in recognizing that.” There is still “subliminal advertising” in today’s companies, but they are a form of manipulation in logos. “I don’t think the market has ever been so flooded with brands. Companies realize that if they can’t own a piece of the consumer’s mind, they won’t make it today.” Subliminal messages are used in social media because they are a way to help sway consumers, unknowingly, to buy and purchase certain products. To get consumers to behave in the way companies want, it has to start in the consumers mind. Once the idea has been planted in your mind, you find a lack of something or a positive emotional association with a product or action can help motivate consumers to carry out these actions. Without being aware of it, besides being motivated by influences from our surroundings, the way we perceive the world around us can change instantly. 

Week 7 BOC: Largest Retailers

Who is the largest fashion retailer? Food? Fashion? Music? Well the largest retailer in American, as well as the rest of the world, is Wal-Mart. Big surprise. Wal-Mart is continuously growing and they are the biggest retailer for goods and food, and they have recently planned to buy Fresh & Easy stores in order to expand their groceries stores. Target has had a hard time warming up to Canadian shoppers, their 2^nd quarter only generated $275 million and customers didn’t like the shopping experience. Costco ranked number 1 in Canada. As for fashion, Zara has become the world’s largest retailer. The company generated €3.6 billion in global sales and opened 49 more stores worldwide between February and April -- mainly in Russia, Japan and China – bringing the total number of outlets to 6,058. It also launched its ecommerce platform in Canada and said a comparable one would be online in Russia by the fourth quarter. There’s no guess, the world’s largest music retailer is iTunes. By February 2013, the company has sold over 25 billion songs, but the company as a whole has been slowing down. In general, the top 5 retailers in the U.S after Wal-Mart, is Kroger, with roughly $92.2 billion in 2012 sales. Target ($72 billion) and Costco ($71 billion) are virtually tied for the third spot, with Home Depot ($66 billion) edging CVS ($63.7 billion) for the 5th position. Each of the US’ top 10 retailers count the US as their home country