One of the problems with the instant information age is that stories can be across the globe and in the minds of people before they are properly verified. This is especially true in showbusiness, that hive of villainy and rumour, and was demonstrated only recently by the credulity of the global press in picking up Paris Hilton’s ‘plea’ for India’s binge-drinking elephants. Even the Guardian – that bastion of unblemished journalism – ran with the story, the central quote of which was thus:
“The elephants get drunk all the time. It is becoming really dangerous. We need to stop making alcohol available to them.”
Included at the end was the defensive note, ‘Hilton’s publicist could not be reached for comment.’ When she was, she denied it. Admittedly this may say more about people’s view of Hilton than anything else, but alarm bells were raised yesterday when another story crept, blinking, into the sunlight. Does she really believe Smurfs are real, come from Berlin, and wanted to adopt the two she ‘found’? (Causing outrage all round with the little people.) Still, fantasy seems to be her strong point. When being returned to prison for drink-driving she shrieked that it wasn’t ’fair’ or ‘right’, so perhaps a suspension of disbelief is her forte (not to mix hotel brands, and confuse things even more). If her detachment from reality goes even further, then she may be pleased to know that the ex that made her racy video may be on the market once more.
Advertising must be a nightmare. Paris must believe everything she hears, need everything she sees – it’s lucky she can afford it. (Being a brand herself, albeit a naked one, it must be terribly confusing. Does she try to buy herself when she looks in the mirror, then look awfully disappointed when the glass gets in the way?)
Perhaps not, though, as apparently subliminal advertising is a big con – so runs the introduction to this NPR piece, based around the fact that some of the initial research that produced this piece of received wisdom was made up, snake oil – a fact that escaped notice due to the hysterical coverage at the time. (While the internet produces incorrect information quickly, at least it offers the opportunity to correct quickly, too.) Think how many sci-fi shows, dystopian fantasies and advertising contracts that might have ruined by this little piece of information.
But then it’s not quite as simple as that, as the report goes on to explain, citing the hugely successful Marlboro advertising campaigndesigned to switch the brand from female to male after it’s near collapse around the time of World War II. Still, there is little that is subliminal about the image of tough men smoking and riding horses (smoke Marlboro, ride horses, shoot Indians – it’s like Bodyform for men) so perhaps the point holds after all. What does that say about hypnosis?
News hour, with Jerry Caesar 