What Are Subliminal Messages In Advertising?

Subliminal advertising occurs when a marketer tries to sell a product in a rather subtle or a not-so-obvious employing the more commonly used forms of media. Usually the message is embedded in another object, the main aim being that it passes below the level of normal viewer perception. The messages are such that they don't really register on the conscious mind but do get registered in the subconscious as a result of perception. This form of advertising has been under scrutiny for a very long time and many insist that it accounts to 'cheating' since it catches the use unawares. These hidden messages have often been used for propaganda and in advertising though till date many debate their actual effectiveness.