Simplicity is the Key to Great Advertising

By Jerry Veit - Graphic Designer
Posted on July 12, 2023

A picture is worth a 1,000 words. Less is more. We’ve all heard these sayings, but how do we apply this to advertising design? It’s easy to think complexity is how to keep people’s attention, but  a single word or image is easier to recall than a collage juxtaposed together with a block of text.

How many emails do we delete after just reading the subject line? How long does it take to conclude what you are seeing doesn’t interest or apply to you? Believe-it -or-not, our minds are programmed to process information rather fast. It takes about 13 milliseconds to process an image, which is 60,000 times faster than reading text. 

Images should be the focal point and be the main subject. Text should be clear, bold and easily readable while coinciding with your chosen image. 

What is the idea? 
Your main message or topic. Is it clear? Is it showcasing information that your audience is interested in? Is it relevant? Your message should be the focus of the ad. Don't distract away from it with too many elements. 

Is it accurate?
Does it tell the right story? Is it truthful? Be transparent with your audience. Don't shy away from informing them of important elements. Does it tell the whole story?

Does it entertain? 
Will others be drawn to it? Will it spark interaction? Put yourself in your customers' shoes. If you saw this ad in a regular setting, would it grab your attention? Would you interact with it? 

Has it been seen before? 
Is it unique or a copy of something we’ve seen before? Stand out from the crowd by using something that hasn't been done before. Think outside the box. Take risks. 

How does the space around the ad relate to it? 
Feel free to break outside of the bounding box to give an impression of continuity. An entire image isn’t needed for a message to come across, but try not to make it look like a mistake or it may be interpenetrated as an oversight.

These are some questions to consider while planning your campaign. 

Remember, the best ad is one that never needs to be explained!