Did you know that the average human brain can assign a meaning to a visual scene in a fraction of a second?
Nearly 50% of our brain involves visual processing. Combine the previous statistic with the fact that 70% of our sensory receptors are located in our eyes and you can quickly get a sense for just how important visual cues are when it comes to the marketing message your business is trying to send.
In a world where would-be-consumers of your product or service are switching from screen to screen, constantly being inundated with advertisements and other distractions, it is imperative that your business cuts through the noise and leaves a lasting impression on your potential customer.
While the actual words in the content of your marketing message do play a role in how well your message is received, choosing the right visual cues can be the key in creating an effective campaign.
Here is a short list of important elements to consider when working with visuals in your marketing and advertising:
1. Color and Font Choice
Different colors and typography elicit different emotions in consumers, and the color and typography in your marketing and advertising should be congruent with the message you are wanting to get across. Combine an elegant font with a cool color (such as blue or violet) to portray a professional theme, while using colors like orange or red combined with a hard-hitting font will excite the reader and give off a more aggressive vibe.
2. Symbolism and Association
When choosing an image for your marketing or advertising, take an extra few minutes to really dive into the mind of the consumer and become aware of what unintended meanings the average person may associate with the visuals you have chosen. Are these potential “unintended associations” a good representation of the message you are trying to convey?
3. Focal Points and Repetition
An effective way of branding your logo or product into your consumers mind can come from a creative use of either repetition or focal points. When using repetition, you are essentially putting your target market through a quick mental workout designed to implant your product into the mind of the consumer. Conversely, using minimalistic concepts in your marketing message can add proper emphasis as well.
Take a quick look at the following advertisement and consider what the author’s intended message is.
The creators of this ad have taken a minimalist approach by using one main image that produces a strong emotional association within the viewer. The picture is of a body lying underneath a white sheet wearing a tag on its toe—couple that with the fact that the tag itself is a spinoff of a popular brand of cigarettes and viola, a single image elicits strong emotions in the mind of the consumer that links smoking with death. Do you think an image like this helps this company in its goal of getting people to quit smoking?
The idea is that your message does not stop with the words you choose to use—you must think about the effect that your visuals are (or are not) having on your target market. Combining a compelling message with a congruent image is a great way to make an advertisement memorable in and of itself, thus increasing its effectiveness.
When crafting your marketing message, you want to be as sure as possible that your consumer is receiving the message that you intended to represent. At Element212, we have a team of creative professionals that help business owners relay marketing and advertising messages that are congruent and effective. Let us help you formulate a message that is consistent with your brand, and gets your point across.
