menu szukaj
Weekly Online Magazine
ISSN 2544-5839

new articles each monday
zamknij
Work In Media

15.07.2024 Skills and knowledge

Visual Tricks. How to Influence People with Color, Shape, and Composition

Bartłomiej Dwornik

The human brain supposedly processes images up to 60,000 times faster than words. Bright colors catch the eye more — but only under certain conditions. Few people can resist the "Apache Method," and a bearded man sells better. Here are some tricks for graphical-optical mind hacking.

Visual Tricks. How to Influence People with Color, Shape, and Compositionillustration: Reporterzy.info and Dwornik.pl

The concept of mind hacking is gaining popularity, especially on social media. Social media is a place where we have very little time to capture attention and stand out amid a sea of competing messages. According to META Foresight statistics, a single post on Facebook or Instagram appears on screen for an average of 1.7 seconds. That’s all the time the message has to engage viewers and prompt interaction.

Under these conditions, the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” becomes especially useful — and it really works. The human brain processes visual information much faster than text or spoken words. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology measured and calculated this quite precisely. Let’s take a red rectangle as an example.

  • Red rectangle
    Image: 0.013 seconds
    Speech: 1 second
    Difference: 77 times faster
  • Red rectangle with yellow dots
    Image: still 0.013 seconds
    Speech: 2 seconds
    Difference: 154 times faster
  • For more complex patterns, the difference can reach up to... 60,000 times faster

Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Mediaillustration: Dwornik.pl via Massachusetts Institute of Technology

However, the speed at which images convey information is just one part of the equation. What and how we present in an image affects not only the chance of a reaction but also the emotions, associations, and even actions we can trigger in the viewer. This is the essence of eyecatchers.

advertisement

The Power of Color


Bright, long-wave colors are the most stimulating and attention-grabbing, according to EEG research. This is confirmed by a study conducted in 2004 by Naz Kaya and Helen Epps, published in the College Student Journal under the title Relationship between Color and Emotion. Most people react most strongly to shades of red and yellow.

But one thing must be remembered: contrast. Bright colors are most noticeable against a neutral background. However, to stand out amidst a sea of brightness, you need to take the opposite approach.

Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Mediaillustration: Dwornik.pl via Kaya, N., Epps, H. (2004). Relationship between Color and Emotion

Arrangement of Elements


Most of us pay more attention to graphic elements with an arrangement that is surprising, unusual, or somewhat disrupted. Tomasz Brusik from Rysujefejsbuki.pl presents many intriguing examples and uses. You can find them all at https://rysujefejsbuki.pl/poradnik/eye-catchery/. Here are a few examples:

  • DIAGONALS create a sense of movement and add dynamism.
  • LINE BREAKS AND DEPTH give an impression of perspective and three-dimensionality.
  • MINIMALISM, or a single isolated element, stands out more than several that split attention.
  • ASYMMETRY draws attention, especially when placed in an otherwise symmetrical setting.

Work In Media
Using natural reflexes, which most of us perform unconsciously, can also be beneficial. Two methods (working names) help direct the viewer’s gaze to a specific area or element in the image.

  • THE APACHE METHOD. Most people, upon seeing someone intently focused on a specific point, will look there too. Use this to draw attention to a logo, product, or any other element that shouldn`t go unnoticed.Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Media
  • THE POINTING FINGER METHOD (name inspired by pre-internet times in local print media). When someone points to something, most people instinctively look in that direction. It’s up to you to decide what appears there.Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Media

Associations and Emotions


Here’s an important addition to the previous point. If the person looking or pointing shows strong emotions, it’s highly likely these emotions will subconsciously transfer to the viewer. Joy, curiosity, fear, and other intense emotions trigger the so-called reflection effect. And these emotions themselves can be eyecatchers. In capturing attention, a serious expression will generally be less effective.

Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Media
Subconscious associations can also be leveraged to increase the likelihood of achieving the desired impact. Numerous studies, culturally influenced and worth approaching cautiously, support this. However, even these curiosities can be worth testing. The results might be valuable:

  • Bearded men inspire more trust. Ads featuring bearded men receive 2.5× more clicks (source: University of Texas)
  • Showing a face in a picture (especially a smiling one) increases social media engagement by 38% (source: The Georgia Institute of Technology)
  • Pictures of cute kittens perform 69% better than average (source: Digital Doughnut)
  • A man with a dog in a photo gets 30% more matches on Tinder (source: Tinder)
  • People with glasses are perceived as 36% more professional (source: College of Optometrists)

Eyecatchers. A Guide to Sensory Play and Capturing Attention in Media
These are just a few examples from a wide array of tricks and methods used by media, advertising, and business psychology professionals to capture our attention. And there’s no magic involved — it’s pure science. It can be studied, measured, and confirmed experimentally. Eyecatchers don’t affect everyone equally, but they are effective in many cases, which is already significant.

***

Visual Tricks in Communication. How to Influence People with Color, Shape, and Composition

Share the article:

dodaj na Facebook prześlij przez Messenger dodaj na Twitter dodaj na LinkedIn

COMMERCIAL BREAK

See articles on a similar topic:

Betteridge's Law: Is Every Headline with a Question Mark a Gimmick?

Krzysztof Fiedorek
Betteridge's Law is a journalism hypothesis suggesting that any headline ending with a question mark can be answered with “no.” This rule applies to yes-or-no questions. It wasn’t actually created by Ian Betteridge and… it’s mostly untrue.

How ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Other Large Language Models Work

Krzysztof Fiedorek
These powerful algorithms can generate text, translate languages, write various types of creative content, and answer your questions in a way that often feels like a conversation with a person. But how is it possible for a machine to mimic human intelligence so well?

Readability: Tools for Journalists to Enhance Text Clarity

Bartłomiej Dwornik
Even the most substantive content must be presented in an accessible and visually appealing way. First, so the reader can understand it. Second, to be easy on the eyes. In both cases, machines can help. Here are some tools for measuring text readability that every journalist might find useful.

Writing for the Web: The 4x4 Rule for Content Optimization

Bartłomiej Dwornik
How do you craft a Google-friendly title, what’s the ideal article length, and how often should you use keywords? A guide for those writing for websites.

Psychology of Politics: Extremism

Krzysztof Dowgird
The term "extremist," according to the dictionary definition, refers to "a person with extreme views, a radical, an advocate of extreme, ultimate measures." In relation to political extremism, this means, first, views of an extreme nature (including approval for the use of force to solve political problems).

Common Mistakes in Creating Content for Websites

Bartłomiej Dwornik
What mistakes should you avoid at all costs to ensure that the often costly work of attracting traffic from Google doesn’t go to waste? Check out the insights from experts asked by Interaktywnie.com in the recently published report "Search Engine Marketing."

Traditional Media Still Plays a Key Role in PR

Flor Calveiro
The latest trend research from Worldcom PR Group EMEA has shown that, despite the growing importance of social media, the position of "traditional" media remains steadfast and continues to play a key role in public relations activities.

More in the section: Skills and knowledge

community

Facebook LinkedIn X Twitter Google RSS

Work in media

United States
New York • Washington DC • Los Angeles • Chicago • Houston • Phoenix • Philadelphia United Kingdom
London • Birmingham • Manchester • Liverpool • Glasgow • Edinburgh Canada
Toronto • Ottawa • Monstreal • Calgary Australia
Sydney • Melbourne • Brisbane • canberra Ireland, New Zealand, India

advertisement





Reporter shopping

Reporter shopping

Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
Affordable laptops, notebooks and netbooks
for writing
Digital SLR and compact cameras
Digital SLR and compact cameras
for photographers
Books and e-books about media
Books and e-books about media
for reading
Video drones and flying cameras
Video drones and flying cameras
for pilots
Gimbals for stabilizing video
Gimbals for stabilizing video
for those on the move
Software and apps for creative work
Software and apps for creative work
for nerdy ones
More occasions

advertisement
Read books and e-books

Read books and e-books

Okładka Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Okładka Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Media Control. The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda
Okładka The 40-Day Social Media Fast
The 40-Day Social Media Fast
Okładka Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Okładka Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Beyond The Feed: A Social Media Success Formula
Okładka Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Trust Me, I`m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator
more books and e-books

Reporterzy.info

More about us

Our tools and services

Contact


© Dwornik.pl Bartłomiej Dwornik 2oo1-2o24