The Secret of Perception

I often get in a debate about text vs. image. In the world of marketing communications some argue that the visual isn’t as important as the message. Logically, this statement makes sense because who cares about the image if it doesn’t come with a meaningful message. The science of perception has a different take on how we see things…

In the early days of the language development humans employed symbols to communicate with each other. Today symbols are used universally to help us to understand each other in a multicultural world. There are a number of symbols – icons – universally recognizable that translate the same meaning in almost any language. Reading is not necessary to identify shapes, but identifying shapes is necessary to read. Therefore, when the human brain acknowledges the image – it is looking at its shape.  In other words shape ranks number one in our sequence of cognition, before color and form (content). It is important to note that distinctive shapes make a faster imprint on memory.

Color is the second in the sequence. Colors in marketing create links and associations in peoples minds about your product or service to help your target market to identify you. If you want to learn about the power of color – check out one of my previous articles on byzblog.

Form or content is the last in the sequence of cognition. This is your business name and your tagline. The brain takes longer to process letterforms and decode the meaning. This is why you may often remember the color or visual but forget the name.

Your brand’s awareness and recognition are promoted by a visual look that is easy to remember and instantly recognizable. Visual identity triggers associations, unlocks the meaning and helps to tell your story about your business. Now, take a minute to analyze your own logo and evaluate it effectiveness in shape, color and form.

To reinforce the learning process I started a new board on Pinterest “ Let’s play a game! Can you guess the brand name?”  Check it out and test the science of perception for yourself.