How to Use Subliminal Advertising on Your Resume

by Joe Vitale

My best friend in college, an advertising major, used to grab a pencil
and write the words "sex," "death," "females," and several obscene words on
his resume. He would then erase those words, leaving only a faint impression
of what he had written. He then mailed his resume to prospective employers.
"What in the world are you doing?" I asked the first time I saw him
doing this bizarre act.

"It's subliminal advertising," he explained. "Ads today are full of
subliminal messages that activate our emotions."

"What's that got to do with your search for a job?"

"I'm using subliminal advertising on my resume," he explained.

"Employers won't know what I wrote, but they'll be drawn to my resume."
Personally, I thought my friend was gonzo.

But my friend got several job offers that year. Was it because of his
innovative use of subliminal advertising? I think not. It was probably more
because he was creative minded enough, and daring enough, to even think of
applying subliminal advertising to something as common as a resume. He was,
in many ways, a genius. Unfortunately, he passed away many years ago. I
can't say what he would do or say today.

Still, does subliminal advertising really work to get you to do things
below your conscious awareness?

Most if not all of the evidence that I can find says no, it doesn't
work. Even James Vicary, the creator of subliminal advertising, later
admitted he had no solid research for his claims.

But the FCC might think otherwise. Here's their official statement on
the use of what they call Subliminal Programming:

"We sometimes receive complaints regarding the alleged use of subliminal
techniques in radio and TV programming. Subliminal programming is designed
to be perceived on a subconscious level only. Regardless of whether it is
effective, the use of subliminal perception is inconsistent with a station's
obligation to serve the public interest because the broadcast is intended to
be deceptive."

There aren't too many cases of subliminal advertising in the courts,
either. But there was some news coverage during the last presidential
election about Bush's team using subliminals to air the word "RAT" when Al
Gore spoke. According to one news report:

On September 13, 2000, two U.S. Senators, Ron Wyden, D-Oregon and John
Breaux, D-Louisiana, requested the Federal Communications Commission to
provide an "immediate and impartial" review of the Republican National
Committee's allegedly "subliminal" "RATS" ad. The Senators reportedly told
FCC Chairman William Kennard that a review of the controversial ad would be
in "the best interests of both political parties, and all Americans."

It had been shown that when the ad was slowed down, the word "RATS"
appeared briefly while a voiceover criticized Vice President Al Gore's
prescription drug plan as one in which "Bureaucrats Decide." Republican
presidential nominee, George W. Bush, told reporters that he believed the
appearance of "RATS" in the advertisement was accidental. However, Al Gore
said that he was "disappointed" by the ad.

Mispronouncing the word "subliminal" as 'subliminenal" several times,
Governor Bush said that he was "convinced" that the advertisement was not
meant to send a subliminal message.

The so-called "RATS" ad had run over 4,000 times in 33 markets
nationally for about two weeks. The ad reportedly cost the RNC over $2.5
million. The ad has been pulled from the airwaves.

So, what's the truth here?

I would say subliminal advertising is not only questionable, it's
illegal. So that end's the case of whether you should try it or not in ads,
particularly ads on radio or television. Even if it worked, it's against the
law. And, in general, direct advertising will always out-pull subliminal
advertising.

Of course, if you are like my late friend from college, and aren't
afraid to take a pencil and write obscene words on your next article,
letter, or resume, then go for it. Just be sure to erase those words before
you turn them in or send your resume to an employer. You don't want to end
up in a job interview with the employer asking you:

"Now tell me, why did you write 'sex' and 'death' and 'females' and all
these nasty words on your resume?"

**********

Joe Vitale is the world's first Hypnotic Marketer. He is the author of way
too many books to list here, including the new book "Spiritual Marketing,"
the best-selling e-book "Hypnotic Writing," and the best-selling
Nightingale-Conant audioprogram, "The Power of Outrageous Marketing." Visit
http://www.MrFire.com You can get his free 7-day e-mail marketing course
called "Recession-Proof Marketing" simply by sending a blank e-mail to
class@aweber.com