n theory at least, could be equally successful in persuading customers to buy specific, especially higher priced, merchandise.
Becker has patented an effective video tape subliminal insertion technique (Key, 1980). Although Key (1980, p. 99) claims that he has never met a psychologist who was familiar with the Becker technique, he also claims that he is aware of "over a dozen ad executives" who had acquired the documents describing the subliminal insertion technique for video tapes. Mere possession of the specifics of the subliminal insertion technique is not proof that the advertising community uses subliminal techniques in the creation of advertisements; however, such possession does constitute circumstantial evidence to that effect.
Key (1989) claimed that the Michael Jackson video hit Thriller employed subliminal techniques to mask from the viewers exactly what was occurring on the video. Key (1989) claimed that the "Beat It!" theme actually referred to male masturbation. Unfortunately for Key, in questioning 153 university students who had listened to the rock video for a minimum of 51 times, 50 percent were unable to say what "Beat It!" meant, while the remaining 50 percent variously thought that it meant the rhythm of the music, fighting, getting away with something, or critizing someone. None of the students associated "Beat It!" with male masturbation. Thus, Key (1989) explained to the students that the "Beat It!" sequence in the video tape actually portrayed young men at a group masturbation session. This group of young men, according to Key (1989, p. 20), "was beating it, letting loose tensions . . . ." The proof, according to Key (1989, p. 20), is that, when the video tape is viewed in slow motion, "each time the dancers pass their right hands across their genital areas their hands jerk in perfect unison."
Key (1989) claimed that the students did not recognize the masturbation theme, because they had been ...