William Cane lecturing on subliminal advertising at Boston College.
William Cane is the pen name of Michael Christian, who teaches English at Boston College. Educated at Boston College Law School, he has been lecturing to college students about subliminal advertising for fourteen years. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Today, one of the biggest problems facing college campuses, as well as society at large, is the use of legal drugs. In this slide lecture by William Cane, you'll see and hear exactly what advertisers are doing to hook youngsters into lifetimes of addiction. Some will be shocked to discover how frequently Madison Avenue hides subliminal messages in the backgrounds of advertisements.
The unstated promise: Smoke Virginia Slims and you'll be
beautiful. Could anything be more
ridiculous? And yet advertisers get away with these blatant absurdities millions of times a day.
In addition to discussing controversial subliminal advertising techniques, Mr. Cane demonstrates how modern culture, and even major universities themselves, unwittingly foster an atmosphere that encourages drinking by young people. Your audience will learn why almost 4% of all college students will drink every single day next month. More importantly, they'll discover what they can do to stop this excessive behavior.
This is an advertisement for Kinney shoes. But something strange is going on
here. Can you spot
what it is? Isn't there something wrong with the woman on the right? (Hint: study her left
arm
and hand.)
When the smoke clears, you'll also learn how mainstream artists like Simon and Garfunkel embed pro-drug messages in songs such as Bridge Over Troubled Water. You'll never listen to another commercial ditty or look at another ad in the same way.
There is a hidden word in this Chivas ad. Can you find it? (Hint: Look for the
letter "X" to the right of the neck of the bottle. Then take a look at that blue
ribbon. Finally look to the left of the bottle neck for another letter.)
This is one multimedia presentation that will blow your mind and then put it back together again with empowering tips on how to stand up to a multi-billion dollar industry that builds profits on student lives. Don't just say "No" to drugs. Say "Yes" to William Cane's "Sex, Drugs & Exploitation: How Advertisers Promote Addiction," and start creating a healthier campus today.
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Techniques of Precise Expression Homepage, for info about Michael Christian's vocabulary-building course at Boston College.
This page is maintained by Michael Christian
(pen name, William Cane) christim@bc.edu. Comments, criticisms,
and suggestions are welcomed.
Copyright (c) 1996 by Michael Christian.