There is also plenty of research that these don't actually work, or at least not nearly as well as you think they do.

Oh, I don't have much faith in the inner fortitude of my fellow man. The unwashed masses are still watching reality television, ya know.

Effectiveness of subliminal messaging (i.e. visual and audible signals which are so quick/quiet/subtle that they're available only to your unconscious mind) is not that hard to test in a laboratory, and studies are pretty conclusive that it it doesn't influence decisions unless the stimulus is presented within a few seconds of making the decision (i.e. grocery store aisle).

People are definitely swayed by overt, liminal signals in subtle ways, but subliminal messaging specifically was created by an ad agency and the science was pretty well debunked.