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[Hank Chinaski]

I've been thinking about subtle advertising lately.

What first set me thinking was my firm got one of those coffee makers where you put in a pod and the water is forced through it. Little packets of coffee wrapped up and differents origins. Of course the wrappers display the alleged origins: Costa Rican, Sumatra Mandeeling, more variety than even the biggest pot dealer ever offered!!

Now my firm buys 2 brands- 1 comes wrapped in a matte wrapper, the other in glossy foil wrappers. I cannot force myself to give the matte wrapped any chance as being the equivalent. I am obviously too Neanderthal to notice any taste difference, yet I will not brew a matte brand unless we are out of glossy.

Or my friend who works for an elevator company got a patent on this idea- elevators are starting to play ads. this is especialy big in Asia. You get on an elevator and the whole ride its trying to sell you something- problem was the commercial is too long for those taking a 2 floors trip. So his invention was for the computer control to determine how long the ride will be and select a commercial of approprita lenght. 40 floors? you learn all about Coca Cola. Just going up 2? "DRINK COKE!!!"

So I now know you cannot beat or avoid advertising and I want in on the gravey train.

Watching Tivo, fast forwarding through commercials I wonder if there isn't a possible subliminal effect from the images seen briefly and rapid fire. Instead of 30 second pitches for why you should buy a BigMac you see flashes of images- maybe I can work on using the flashes to sell my clients' products?

But then I get the real brainstorm, and it is fully on the same flash of genius level as when I first recognized GreedyX3 was a lot like Gilligan-

Sit down for this. I will develop a digital technique where when one fast forwards through a commercial, a second level of image is diplayed quite clearly. You may avoid the Dodge truch commercial, but you will clearly see an image of the truck, maybe with a beautiful model, maybe as a hologram, for the entire FF time. I have to work out some details, like how to do it and not ruin the commercial when played at normal speed, but I have a photoshop expert at my beck and call.

Oh, I filed for a patent application just today. So if you're planning on stealing the idea forget it.