While we don't usually write about branding, you may find this interesting. New-York based research firm Dynamic Logic - http://www.dynamiclogic.com - founded in 1999 by Nick Nyhan, the former
Director of Online Research of ModemMedia/PoppeTyson, has found a direct relationship between how "cluttered" a banner is and its success in lifting brand awareness.
According to the
company's latest polling of 33,433 respondents, uncluttered banners lifted awareness by 14% whereas cluttered banners lifted awareness by only 3%.
The company's monthly newsletter profiles the
study, stating, "Brand awareness refers to the proportion of people who are familiar with the brand or product. The results showed a significant gap between "cluttered" ads - those with 16 or more
elements - and those "uncluttered" - containing less than 16 elements. An element is defined as a word or image present in the creative. For example, a banner with the logo, a 3-word tagline and 2
graphics has 6 elements."
This research shows that when too many elements are included, consumers tune out the creative, thereby limiting its ability to have an impact, so it's important to
include only the essential elements in banners, such as the name and logo of the brand, the value proposition message or benefit, and a minimal amount of graphics.
DL's Mike Carlon, who has
been conducting marketing research for advertisers including, Citibank, Delta Airlines and Unilever for four years, recommends that online advertisers keep in mind they have a very limited time to
get a message and brand in front of someone. "If you want to build awareness of your product or service, do not burden them with strong calls to action, as this will add clutter to a banner. The
opportunity you have in a banner is not unlike an "Elevator Pitch" - keep it short, to the point, and most importantly, relevant."