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The Hidden Persuaders Paperback – July 1, 2007

by Vance Packard (Author), Mark Crispin Miller (Introduction)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 333 ratings
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"One of the best books around for demystifying the deliberately mysterious arts of advertising."--Salon

"Fascinating, entertaining and thought-stimulating."--The New York Times Book Review

"A brisk, authoritative and frightening report on how manufacturers, fundraisers and politicians are attempting to turn the American mind into a kind of catatonic dough that will buy, give or vote at their command--The New Yorker

Originally published in 1957 and now back in print to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, The Hidden Persuaders is Vance Packard’s pioneering and prescient work revealing how advertisers use psychological methods to tap into our unconscious desires in order to "persuade" us to buy the products they are selling.

A classic examination of how our thoughts and feelings are manipulated by business, media and politicians, The Hidden Persuaders was the first book to expose the hidden world of “motivation research,” the psychological technique that advertisers use to probe our minds in order to control our actions as consumers. Through analysis of products, political campaigns and television programs of the 1950s, Packard shows how the insidious manipulation practices that have come to dominate today’s corporate-driven world began. Featuring an introduction by Mark Crispin Miller, The Hidden Persuaders has sold over one million copies, and forever changed the way we look at the world of advertising.

Vance Packard (1914-1996) was an American journalist, social critic, and best-selling author. Among his other books were The Status Seekers, which described American social stratification and behavior, The Waste Makers, which criticizes planned obsolescence, and The Naked Society, about the threats to privacy posed by new technologies.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Ig Publishing
  4. Publication date
    July 1, 2007
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8.3 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    097884310X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0978843106
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vance Packard (1914 -1996) was an American journalist, social critic, and best-selling author. Among his books were the million-selling Hidden Persuaders, The Status Seekers, which described American social stratification and behavior, The Waste Makers, which criticizes planned obsolescence, and The Naked Society, about the threats to privacy posed by new technologies. Mark Crispin Miller is the author of the best-selling books Cruel and Unusual: Bush/Cheney's New World Order, The Bush Dyslexicon, and Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election & Why They'll Steal the Next One Too. An expert in propaganda and media, he teaches at New York University.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ig Publishing; Reissue Ed edition (July 1, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 097884310X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0978843106
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 333 ratings

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  1. Vance Oakley Packard

    Vance Oakley Packard

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
333 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

W. Black
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting basics of subliminal advertising - and the way human minds work
Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2021
Verified Purchase
A luggage company made a great TV ad back in the 50s, dropping their suitcase from an airplane to show it would survive a crash, and their sales crashed. Research revealed people were angry that they'd die in a crash but their luggage wouldn't, so they avoided that product. A soap company tested the same laundry soap in three boxes. Consumers reported that the soap in yellow boxes cleaned really well, but was harsh and rough on delicate clothes. Soap in the blue box didn't ruin delicate things, but left clothes dingy and not completely clean. Soap in yellow and blue boxes was just right. Lots of examples like this in the book.
16 people found this helpful
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Steven Chambers
5.0 out of 5 stars You're right, they are controlling and manipulating you
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2008
Verified Purchase
Most of us realize that we are being influenced all the time. What most of us don't realize is just how much we are controlled and influenced. The Hidden Persuaders will describe to you the early efforts made to understand, control and influence people in the name of consumerism and control. This book should scare you, especially when you stop and think about how much more refined the methods are today.

A key point made by the book is the primary difference between manipulation and persuasion is intent. Even the most cursory look at history will tell you that when the tools exist, someone will use them to dominate and control others. In fact, they are being used right now and everyday to control us. The Matrix is alive and well and real.

Read this book.
31 people found this helpful
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Pixie Xele
4.0 out of 5 stars Needs Updating
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2015
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It's completely correct in how we're being propagandized at, but I wish an updated edition would be written, including techniques being used today.
11 people found this helpful
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Faustino Gonzalez
5.0 out of 5 stars Some things never change
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022
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I read this book in high school. Our English teacher wanted to teach us critical thinking.
4 people found this helpful
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klavaza
5.0 out of 5 stars A historical landmark
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2008
Verified Purchase
I met Vance Packard's (1914-1996) work with his The Pyramid Climbers, a pioneer study on American enterprise management developement. The Hidden Persuaders is about a very different subject, and it was also one of the first true considerations on how propaganda, or media manipulation, changes the way America behaves toward franchises, merchandising and, in the end, how it shapes the way we structure our goals and, to use Focualt's title, the order of things. It, of course, shows its age since it was first published in the 1950's. However it is in no way obsolete and thanks to Packard's excellent pen it is a breeze to read, and an excellent example of the so called Pop Sociology.
13 people found this helpful
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Nate
3.0 out of 5 stars A Book on Consumer Engineering
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2022
Verified Purchase
It hardly dives into cultural social engineering - spending most of its time on the dynamics of marketing.
For those looking for a title specifically on the history of consumer manipulation - than consider this book 5 stars.
For anyone else, it will probably get boring.
3 people found this helpful
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Art Folker
5.0 out of 5 stars A Marketing Classic
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2014
Verified Purchase
If you really want to understand the thinking behind the blizzard of advertising we endure on a daily basis, you may be surprised to learn that there's really nothing new under the sun. Most of the research, insights, psychological manipulation techniques and understanding of what motivates us to buy anything were developed and codified in the 1940s & 50s. This book- from 1958 - is the essential guide to understanding buyer motivations and the lengths major corporations will go to influence us in everyday buying decisions. Big Brother isn't just watching, he's selling, too.
6 people found this helpful
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Chris Kanyane
5.0 out of 5 stars A Book that tells the story of people who persuade and control minds of ordinary people
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2014
Verified Purchase
This is a very good book. Its message is timeless. If you want to know how psychology is applied in business use this book. If you want to understand deep selling techniques use this book. If you want to understand the workings of advertising industry, its evolution and sustainance us this book.

The Hidden Persuaders portrays how advertisers nah psychologists work undercover to persuade and control the minds of people. It is very sad indeed to hear how advertisers estimate the thinking of the general populace
2 people found this helpful
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Spiro Koulouris
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on marketing psychology I’ve read so far
Reviewed in Canada on December 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
Amazing to see how marketing psychology has developed since the 1950s when this book was written. Nothing has really changed since then, the same tactics still work to this day.
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Shubham 'Aadi'
5.0 out of 5 stars Indian consumers must realise how they are being influenced.
Reviewed in India on April 25, 2021
Verified Purchase
We are into the 30th year of opening up our economy to global and private sectors. We Indians must understand how advertisements create a false sense of need and makes us mindless robots pursuing the advertised products. What had happened in the US is repeating here and now!
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Shubham 'Aadi'
5.0 out of 5 stars Indian consumers must realise how they are being influenced.
Reviewed in India on April 25, 2021
We are into the 30th year of opening up our economy to global and private sectors. We Indians must understand how advertisements create a false sense of need and makes us mindless robots pursuing the advertised products. What had happened in the US is repeating here and now!
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One person found this helpful
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Cliente Amazon
1.0 out of 5 stars PRODUTO ADQUIRIDO POR ENGANO
Reviewed in Brazil on November 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
Desculpe, mas, cometi um engano.

Não desejo adquirir este produto eletrônico. Estou há meses tentando adquirir este produto na versão impressa na Amazon Internacional sem sucesso.
Efetuei pesquisa na Amazon BR e houve sinalização que havia apenas 01 (um) exemplar disponível em estoque. Mas, não desejo adquirir a versão eletrônica, e sim a versão impressa.
Desejo solicitar o cancelamento da compra.
Vou continuar insistindo na versão impressa.

Atenciosamente,

Cláudio Melo.
2 people found this helpful
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Geoff.
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless book. Highly recommended.
Reviewed in Australia on November 15, 2023
Verified Purchase
Still in print after 66 years. It launched my sons successful career in advertising. Absolutely fascinating expose of the tecniques used by advertisers to emotionally attach us to their clients products. The author has written other highly interesting books on society
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Elvis
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent analysis
Reviewed in Germany on July 27, 2018
Verified Purchase
Despite this book being written in 1957 the contents and the discussions in this book are still relevant today. It is very interesting to look at things that were believed or in trend in 1957. Some of the believes are extinct (like the reliability of Rorschach test) and others are not. You will find a lot of examples that you can easily relate to the year 2018. One funny thing that I found in this book is that Packard stated, that the Democrats had very hard time in marketing and because of that were loosing their prestige and popularity which is what exactly happened 2 years ago when Democrats yet again had very bad experience in Public Relations which caused them to lose the election.

At the end of the book author provides very important reflection on the whole book which states that we must take everything that is written in this book with a grain of salt.

Despite all of this author still thinks that "we can choose not to be persuaded." which actually contradicts a lot of authors findings.
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