Marketing has since long ago come to understand that there are much more efficient ways to “indoctrinate” consumers.
http://www.stics.se
Stockholm Institute of Communication Science

Is the average person consciously aware of the intentional lighting choices made by a business owner? What if the business owner made no intentional choice and is “subliminally” driving away traffic because of crappy lighting?

I think we’d be splitting hairs over what’s subliminal and what isn’t.

The point is to work toward a gestalt that is aligned with the purpose of your business and the goals of your customers. Work on everything you can think of, and when you can’t think of anything else, bring in some outsider who can point out even the environmental stimuli that have become subliminal to you inside your own doors. (again, an incorrect use of the strict definition, but I think you get the point.)

While I agree with your noticing the small things that make a difference I’m surprised at your poor choice in words (not at all a small thing).

By its very definition, subliminal refers to environmental stimuli that is not noticeable by the concious mind. So, your use of the lighting example in a salon is not subliminal at all but rather a simple environmental stimuli.

The classicly referenced example of subliminal advertising is the movie projector that flickers,”Drink Coke”, so quickly that it is not noticed by the audience’s concious mind. The advertiser (the movie theatre owners) hope to subliminally influence the audience’s behavior towards buying more Coke during the movie.

The salon lighting is simply a behavioral modification technique, similiar to playing quick tempo music in a restaurant setting with the hopes of increasing the table turn vs slower music that will slow down table turn but increase avg ticket prices.

Make sense?

My friend and blogging mentor Dave Young from Branding Blog has a post over at Grokdotcom.com about the subliminal advertising in this video. It’s 6:39 and a very clever turn of the tables on some UK ad agency execs….

Another good point. For example, since we redesigned our website (www.codingmonkeys.biz is the old version) into (www.codingmonkeys.co.uk) people perceive us to be more expensive, and therefore are more qualified to call us. Furthermore, because of the perception of quality, we’ve put our prices up, as otherwise people are suspicious of why we’re so “cheap”. Strange how the subtleties can sometimes be the consumers own downfall.

Dave Young at GrokDotCom, who work with Jeffrey and Bryan Eisenberg (or, is it Bryan and Jeffrey – not quite sure) writes about subliminal messages, are how subliminal stimuli are very powerful and shape our future perceptions and ideas.Dave …

Here’s an example of the type of subliminal message I’m talking about. The place where I get my hair cut has half a dozen 8-foot flourescent fixtures for lighting. The bulbs are a mixed match of hues, some look yellow and some look white.

The salon 2 blocks away is lit with direct lighting fixtures at each station.

Both have adequate lighting to accomplish the task at hand.

Which salon can charge more? Is your confidence in the stylist slightly higher or lower because of the lighting? What about the stylist’s own confidence? When she turns you to have a look in the mirror, which lighting will make you look better?

Still, great video.