Advertising Promotion and Other Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communications 9th Edition by Terence Shimp, Craig Andrews

Exercise 10

When discussing the criticism that advertising is manipulative, a distinction was made between persuasion efforts of which consumers are cognitively aware and those that fall below their conscious radar screens. First, explain in your own words the distinction between the potential for advertisers to "manipulate" consumers cognitively and unconsciously. Second, express your thoughts about the ethical ramifications of, say, retailers' potential use of in-store advertising to air subliminal messages.