Think about it: When was the last time you truly paused to engage with an advertisement or design piece?
Odds are, it was when something unexpected caught your eye. Surprise disrupts the norm, grabbing our attention and inviting us to take a closer look. By leveraging surprise in your designs, you can cut through the clutter and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
Surprise Your Viewers
We see ads all day every day—in the mail, on our browser, emails, TV, scrolling through TikTok. We’ve grown accustomed to them. By utilizing the unexpected, we capture our audience’s attention and stand out from the crowd.
Don’t Be Afraid to Be Bold
Surprise elements breathe life into designs, captivating audiences and sparking conversations. The iconic FedEx logo is a well-known example, where the negative space between the “E” and the “x” forms an arrow. This arrow is a subtle design feature that many people may not notice at first glance, but once they see it, the arrow becomes an unforgettable aspect of the logo. Fun digital elements include hover effects that reveal the unexpected and humorous 404 pages that turn potential frustration into amusement.
At Green Closet Creative, we incorporate unexpected elements that include bold, unconventional layouts and materials; dynamic features for digital campaigns and websites; and personalized elements like custom illustrations. Some highlights include:
- Tangible Deliverables: To create unique business cards for our client Windows Distillery, we used cutouts and vellum to capture the brand’s identity and pay tribute to the historical location of the company. For their whiskey bottles, we chose copper pipe strap for the hang tag holder and incorporated other cool treatments to add surprise and a feeling of luxury: die cuts, foiling, raised spot gloss, and unusual shapes and sizes.
- Digital Campaigns: For our client Greenwoods State Bank, we use clever imagery, bold type and casual messaging to defy the conventional seriousness associated with financial institutions.
- Websites: Recently, we launched a new website for Perfect Plastic Printing, one of the world’s largest credit card manufacturers, that showcases bold design through its use of vibrant imagery and sleek, modern aesthetics. The homepage features dynamic visuals and a streamlined layout, reflecting the company’s commitment to innovation as well as their environmental stance. This design not only captures attention but also enhances user experience by providing clear, intuitive navigation and a visually appealing presentation of Perfect Plastic Printing’s cutting-edge solutions and environmental initiatives.
Surprise elements transform everyday experiences into unforgettable products by injecting excitement and intrigue into graphic design. By thoughtfully embedding these surprise elements, designers can transform ordinary visuals into captivating experiences that delight and intrigue the audience.