Ergonomics in Visual Advertising

• Visual advertising employs ergonomics principles to effectively connect brands with customers
• Brands use visual advertising to sell an idea, vision, or fantasy beyond just a product

Ergonomics and Visual Advertising Tactics

• Designers and creatives use various ergonomics-based tactics to optimize visual advertising by involving technology and psychology

Color Psychology

• Color choice is crucial; good creative advertising uses appealing color schemes to send messages nonverbally
• Bold colors for call-to-action buttons are a simple change that can increase click-through rates
• Colors can be strongly associated with brand identity, with examples like Coca-Cola Red and Tiffany Blue

Typographic Composition

• A typographic composition is an important visual technique, as almost every visual advertisement will have a font element
• Balancing visuals with typography is important; fonts serve a double purpose of conveying a message with visual appeal
• Font pairing is the use of combined fonts and affects overall design quality, where color harmony between letters and background matters
• Typographic manipulations include reshaping letters or adding textures

Bandwagon Pressuring

• Bandwagon pressuring, a human-centered advertising technique, uses persuasive copy to convince consumers that everyone already owns the product they are missing
• Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is a psychological tactic at the centre of this technique
• Multilevel marketing (MLM) business and pyramid schemes frequently use this strategy
• Overuse of bandwagon pressuring can be detrimental similar to repetition

Body Language

• Body language is of high importance when using visual ads
• Communication happens with nonverbal cues such as posture, facial expressions, and movement
• Body language helps convey the message, be it from character or person
• Visualizing confidence, knowledge, or sentiments through body language helps create connection

Direct Gaze

• Direct gaze involves someone looking straight at the viewer, creates intensity, engagement
• Direct gaze is borrowed from hypnosis as "gaze induction technique"
• "Gaze induction technique” helps people feel things intensely
• Magazine ads commonly employ direct gaze

Three-Quarter Gaze

• Three quarter gaze involves positioning characters at an angle, used to convey the message

Composition

• Composition involves elements placed in a visual space and should be balanced in all visuals
• Composition guides the viewer's eye
• Gestalt principles, including simplicity, synchrony, and association, form the basic rules for great composition
• Advertisement compositions use the rule of thirds, focal points, and visual paths

Rule of Thirds & Golden Mean

• Rule of thirds and golden mean are techniques designers use for balanced visuals
• The rule of thirds divides a canvas into six rectangles to place elements at cross-points, emphasizing visuals and balance

The Golden Mean

• The golden mean is consistent with the Fibonacci sequence
• This Fibonacci sequence is used in element placement direction
• Golden ratio describes symmetric relationships between proportions

Focal Point

• Focal points are vital and just as important as color choices and font
• Focal points give the audience a place to look while absorbing advertisement

Visual Path

• A visual path is the technique that guides the viewer through content
• Common shapes are Z and F patterns

Repetition

• Repetition is used in marketing strategies and applies to different areas of visual advertising
• Repeat ads often on TV, magazines, billboards and media outlets

Emotional Appeal

• Emotional appeal is a potent marketing technique that relies on emotions
• Brands must deeply grasp their target audience and use storytelling techniques in order for this appeal to work

Symbolism

• Visual marketing techniques can use symbolism by using literary tools such as metaphors and similes
• Vague or far fetched use of symbolism that only works with brand loyalty is known as brand confusion

Anthropomorphism

• Anthropomorphism involves giving inanimate objects human traits like movement, speech, and walking
• Anthropomorphism makes merchandising successful when advertisers use that character to sell

Storytelling

• Storytelling evokes connection by giving audiences a personal relatable experience
• Origin stories or real customer interactions can be explored by brands and used

Animation and Motion Graphics

• Fantasy creates psychological bonds for visual advertisers
• Television, film, advertising and print all can make use of this technique
• Fantasy advertising attracts consumers, provides a lasting impression and can work well with adult or child audiences

Behind-The-Scenes

• Behind-the-scenes material shows the interior of a company
• Material such as social media can be creatively shown to generate creative behind the scenes videos and imagery
• These make consumers feel connected to a brand

Social Proof

• Social proof is mostly done for online advertisements but is still doable in prints
• They function by building trust that can increase the sale for businesses
• Influencer marketing, endorsements, or customer testimonials increase the brand appeal

Influencers

• The social media market is all about influencers
• Influencers can share guidelines or visual style and the influencer acts as they wish
• Influencers are useful when targeting groups and often run sales or reviews on a product
• If it’s not uncommon to work with small people and generate engagements

Artificial Reality

• Artificial reality helps interactive ads become more well known
• Television also uses this technique and developed AR apps so that TV can be viewed as a setting
• “Covert advertising” helps “sell the idea” and generate awareness