The impact of attention in design

The size does matter!

April 14th, 2016, 10:02 am

In an information and media society, the actual currency is the attention given to specific target groups: Attention given to products and companies or, for example, to politic and charity goals. Visual condensed messages have become more and more important to the disadvantage of long texts. No surprise: The information flood doubles in ever-shortening intervals – images are more noticeable than texts.


I'm Ready - DCU - Steve Simpson

Above: Elaborately designed and in an adequately big format, Posters like this one draw attention to themselves. (Source: Steve Simpson)

Condensed, visual information for a faster communication

Media designers create visual symbols, images and designs that make them appealing to us. We then speak of an eye-catcher that catches the interest of the person it wants to target.

How can this attention be generated?

At first, images are all about their content. If there is, for example, an unknown model on an advertising poster conveying the message, or a celebrity, the effect is very different. Celebrities are often well-received, because many of us know them. There is an image transfer taking place between what the celebrity stands for and the image of the product. The model has to be convincing for the brand identity through the appearance, the outfit and the photo effect.

Strategical planning of the advertising message

Even if advertising seems to be all about outside appearances at first glance, those have to be defined in a strategical way through contents we’d like to put in. Because it does make a difference if a rental car company uses Donald Trump with windswept hair or Brad Pitt to promote their cars; different messages are generated and conveyed.


Big banner in a mall

Above: Big banner in a mall.

This is a good trick in advertising: New ideas with an “Aha! effect”.

The thing that is crucial to achieve well-done advertising is the surprise effect. Advertisers who are up-to-date know how they can inspire in the jungle of advertising by inventing unusual ideas that provide an “Aha! effect”. However, good ideas also need to be perceived.



FREE 3 Billboards Mock-Ups - Mahmoud Wally

Source: Mahmoud Wally

Big advertising messages are more striking

Apart from content, subject, visual execution and text idea, there is a factor that does matter almost everywhere: size! It does make a significant difference if you put your advertisement on a small leaflet or on a giant advertising surface on the façade of a building. Big images catch the attention of people. Surprising content specifically designed for a certain target group and congenially implemented on a big surface is an eye-catcher per se.

Obstacles during large-format advertising

In order to reach this goal, there used to be three obstacles that were meant to be overcome:

  1. For one, creativity does not fall into your lap when it comes to producing an idea as well as a photographic and artistic execution.
  2. Furthermore, size has its price: the double-paged ad is more expensive than the one-paged one. The 18/1 billboard is more expensive than the A2 poster.
  3. And apart from that, there have always been types of advertisements with very expensive individualisation. That’s a thing of the past.

From Signboards to Flags: Affordable large-formats with customised designs

print24 offers a great selection of advertising equipment, especially when it comes to large-format products: Banners, Signboards made of different materials (Correx Board, Alu-Dibond, Acrylic clear perspex, Light Foam, and Hard Foam), Posters, and Frames, Banner frames, Roller Banners, Flags, Counters, Pop Up Stands, or L-banners for trade fairs as well as for promotions indoors and outdoors. Big formats catch your attention and stand out, and they have become very affordable while retaining a high-quality production. It has never been so easy and cost-efficient to create and produce high-quality eye-catchers in a large format.


The print24 indoor stopper

Above: Pavement Signs from print24.

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