Primes as hidden persuaders

Priming can increase the likelihood of retrieval from memory, facilitate the processing of encountered brands, determine product categorization, the encoding, and the weighting of the product attributes. Priming may also induce motivational, affective and cognitive states, which in turn affect product preferences. Primes can come in form of verbal or pictorial material, sounds, music, colour, or odours. They can be presented sub-liminally or supraliminally. Outside of the research lab they can be presented as part of the shopping environment, product communication or even as product-inherent features.