blipvert

English

Etymology

Blend of blip +‎ advert; coined in the 1985 film Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future, in which they caused the nervous systems of certain viewers to overload.

Noun

blipvert (plural blipverts)

1. A subliminal or nearly subliminal advertisement displayed for a very short time.
   • 1991, Alan M Olson, Christopher Parr, Debra Parr, Video Icons and Values:

     The blipvert condenses 30 seconds of advertising to 3 seconds in order to prevent viewers from switching channels during an advertisement.

   • 2003, Andy Fyfe, When the Levee Breaks: The Making of Led Zeppelin IV:

     The result was the passing of laws forbidding the use of such "blipvert" advertising, but rumors of its insidious presence abounded.

   • 2004, Rick Poynor, David Crowley, Nico Macdonald, John O'Reilly, Communicate: Independent British Graphic Design Since the Sixties:

     As with television, on the web a user is required to see the blipvert before moving onto their intended destination, unlike banner ads...

See also

• cognitohazard