* The James Vicary "Eat Popcorn/Drink Coke" Study in the mid-1950's caused the ordinary man to become familiar with the concept and after the results of the study were released, a survey revealed that 41% of respondents had heard of subliminal advertising and 'knew' how subliminal messages work. By the 1980's over 80% professed to having some awareness of the term and about 70% of those believed it to be an effective tool for increasing sales.
* According to the study, in 1956, in a movie theatre in Fort Lee, New Jersey, James Vicary (a social psychologist and advertising expert) and his 'Subliminal Projection Company' carried out six weeks of study. The study involved thousands of unsuspecting movie-goers and involved testing a secret device. This device reportedly flashed the messages "Eat Popcorn" and "Drink Coke" for a third of a millisecond every five seconds as the movie played. James Vicary claims that after the messages were flashed there was an increase of 58% in popcorn sales and an 18% increase in sales of Coke.
* The results of the study were not well received. Many people saw the idea of hidden messages as occult or satanic. In 1962 Vicary apparently admitted to making the whole thing up! He had wanted to file a patent and had fabricated the study to back it up.
* Despite this fraudulent claim, many advertising, television, radio and film companies began making use of subliminal messages in the belief that it would bolster the effect of some scene or message. Even the FCC failed to place any restrictions on such advertising methods claiming that the use of subliminal advertising was under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Federal Trade Commission.
In fact many years later the FCC allowed the use of a hidden message in an announcement about a murder. It is however, reported that the briefly-flashed phrase "Give yourself up" was unsuccessful in convincing the murderer to turn himself in!
