Seducing the Subconscious: The Psychology of Emotional Influence in Advertising - Hardcover

by Robert Heath (Author)

Our relationship with ads: it's complicated

A must-read for anyone intrigued by the role and influence of the ad world, Seducing the Subconscious explores the complexities of our relationship to advertising. Robert Heath uses approaches from experimental psychology and cognitive neuroscience to outline his theory of the subconscious influence of advertising in its audience's lives. In addition to looking at ads' influence on consumers, Heath also addresses how advertising is evolving, noting especially the ethical implications of its development. Supported by current research, Seducing the Subconscious shows us just how strange and complicated our relationship is with the ads we see every day.

Back Jacket

We have a love-hate relationship with advertising. Adverts serve a purpose--they keep us in touch with new products and ideas, and at their best, ingenious campaigns provide entertainment. But we also worry that advertising can get 'under our radar' in some way and might affect us without our knowledge. For this reason, we ignore it: we think if we don't pay attention to it, we won't remember it, and it won't influence us.

But, paradoxically, ignoring advertising can actually lend it greater power. Dr. Robert Heath, a pioneering researcher in the field of brand communications, reveals that how we process advertising--both at a subconscious and semiconscious level--can actually increase the influence it has on our emotions, the underlying drivers of our decisions and relationships. Utilizing extensive psychological and neuroscientific research, Seducing the Subconscious reveals how this brave new advertising world works, using illustrative examples of advertising campaigns that have been hugely successful without anyone quite being able to recall what they were trying to communicate.

Knowledge, or perhaps awareness, Dr. Heath shows, truly is power. Whether advertising executives are trying to harness it, or average consumers are looking to defend themselves, one thing is certain: we cannot afford to ignore it.

Author Biography

Dr. Robert Heath has a worldwide reputation as an expert in the role of emotion and attention in the field of brand communication. In 2001 he developed the Low Attention Processing Model of advertising, after which he published the best-selling monograph The Hidden Power of Advertising. His published research has garnered him major prizes, including the dual award of the MRS David Winton and ISBA Prizes. Dr. Heath is a Senior Lecturer in Advertising at University of Bath School of Management and a Board Member of the Wharton Global Future of Advertising Project.