#1: Was the publisher of The Hidden Persuaders acting ethically when it published this book?
Introduced in 1957, Vance Packard published "The Hidden Persuaders". Claiming results from a research project performed in a movie theater, Packard stated that by inserting subliminal messages into frames of the films, sales would be boosted. These messages would contain such phrases as "Buy Popcorn", or "Buy Coke". In his manual he posted that concession stand sales after the advertising rose close to 60%. The idea of exposing a hidden practice or "wrong" that a company performs is always regard…
