Using visuals to get consumer’s attention
In this five-part blog series, we’ll share thoughts from LIWLIG experts on what you should take into account when designing and executing brand experiences that will grab consumers’ attention and boost brand commitment.
In this first part in the series, I’ll talk about the importance of visuals in grabbing attention, making impressions, and generating brand recognition in the brand experience. At best, the brand experience helps brands stand out from the competition, make a lasting impression, and increase brand commitment.
Sparking consumer interest with visuals
When it comes to getting consumers’ attention, visuals are usually the first step in creating a 360 brand experience. Next up, I’ll tell you why this is now more important than ever. These days, we’re literally bombarded with stimuli that steals our attention whenever and wherever we are. Everyone’s fighting for attention. We’re used to having our brains constantly entertained by the digital content we carry around in our hands wherever we go. The big challenge is how to attract consumers’ attention and get them to come and see how and why your brand’s service or product is better than the competition.
Authenticity and experiences have become more important than ever in recent years, as digital services and platforms have taken massive development steps. At the same time, the digital services most of us are addicted to are slowly but surely taking over a bigger part of our lives.
Attracting attention turns interest into brand encounters
You’ve got approximately 2 seconds to grab a customer’s attention. In that short time, it’s stand-out visuals that usually get results, while basic, blah and unsurprising visuals usually get ignored. Whatever you do needs to promise something more than all that other always-on entertainment at first glance. Executions that do that often promise an experience that’s different from what they normally experience every day. An impressive visual experience is much more than a print surface and some digital content. It’s a skillfully-designed holistic experience that’s on brand and really speaks to your target group.
A successful visual execution
● Is in line with the brand’s visual look and feel, often bold, colorful and decorative
● Attracts the right target group
● Gets the experiencer to recommend the brand to friends and family
● Inspires the experiencer to share on social media, which means they’re acting as a brand ambassador to their own audiences
● Strengthens the experiencer’s relationship to the brand, leaving a longer memory trace
● Creates measurable results
Reija Forss B2C Creative
REFERENCES: Global example: Gentle Monster Stores
A great global example I’d like to share is the Korean brand Gentle Monster, which in addition to ”just” eyewear also offers their target group a really interesting story and deeper experiential content like stores that look like art installations and other mind-blowing visual concepts and executions. This makes consumers identify more strongly with the brand, shifting focus from encounters with products to deep and meaningful encounters with the brand.
