The following excerpt is from a new e-newsletter I get on marketing topics. This one is on the subject of white space in design. I downloaded the white paper that they reference and found the study and an interesting discussion of the social history of white space as visual rhetoric. Thought I’d share.
(From "Get to the Point" an e-newsletter from Marketing Profs.com)
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How Saying the Least May Achieve the Most
Clearly the things you say and show in an ad can convey something about your product. But how about what you don't say or show?
A study has revealed that ads containing considerable white space lead customers to perceive the advertised product as more prestigious, sophisticated, trustworthy, higher in product quality and leadership, and lower in risk than the same ad without white space.
Researchers note that these associations hark back to the minimalist movement, a reaction against artwork perceived as deceptive or full of illusion. In advertising, the less-is-more approach to graphics is a response to the text-heavy, authoritative, "scientific" or "information"-type ads of the early to mid-20th century—examples of which include, for instance, extolling the digestive benefits of smoking Camels or drinking Schlitz beer. The removal of excessive imagery and language makes the information in the ad appear more truthful, and makes the advertiser appear as if it has nothing to hide.
The Po!nt: If you are trying to create a sophisticated and trustworthy brand image, consider saying less—not more—in the ads you create.
Source: "How Nothing Became Something: White Space, Rhetoric, History, and Meaning" John W. Pracejus, G. Douglas Olsen, and Thomas C. O'Guinn. Journal of Consumer Research, 2006. Click here for a PDF of the report.
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