As a designer, I am often on social media to stay up to date with trends and design preferences. For design, I most often am on Pinterest for inspiration, and Adobe Stock to get reference images. I have found that I become more creative when spending time on Pinterest, while Instagram has the opposite effect. It is possible this is due to my own generational preferences as Instagram is more targeted at Generation Z. Consider that the next time a site does not feel right to you, likely that is because it is not designed for you. Many individuals are unaware of just how specific advertising is and how much difference a single design element can make. I am typically only satisfied when I am on a site that has me as its chosen target audience which is difficult as I am what many call a “cusper”. This means I was born on the tail end of each generation. Technically I am considered to be more Generation Z, however where I am in life is nowhere close to my Generation Z counterparts, and I grew up as millennials typically do. 

I receive many emails and promotions as I love to sign up for services pointlessly. The influx of emails dull the senses making it more difficult for a promotion to stimulate me. This begs the question of how advertisers grab attention without imagery or colors. Let us try it out shall we?

Select one from this list (I bet I can guess which one you would click on)

Promo: Buy one get one fresh apples…

Your Glendale Neighbors…

Congradulations on 7 Years with…

Got boobs?

Freeze warning issued…

Lets be real, out of these fake email subject lines the “got boobs” grabbed your attention, correct? This is because a few subjects will almost always grab attention and one of those is sex. Humans are drawn to sex which is why it is utilized throughout advertisement even if not to the extreme of “got boobs”. It can be as simple as utilizing an attractive model to hold up your product. This method of grabbing attention is not foolproof because target audiences always trump cliche marketing tactics. In the past sex was more obviously utilized in advertisements. For example look at this advertisement from the 1950s:

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2019/03/vintage-ads-selling-cigarettes-with-sex/

This advertisement is obviously very sexual and grabs attention. Blatant sexuality however is not as positively looked upon as a marketing strategy as it once was. Nowadays you can see advertisements that are sexual through their design elements.

https://www.commarts.com/exhibit/ikea-print-ads

This is a 2023 advertisement that utilizes sex in its marketing. Notice how this advertisement is more subtle, and therefore more effective. The pink color, and imagery of the crumpled bed sheets grab the attention, without using crude imagery and blatant sexual comments. It does not sexualize women like the first advertisement, nor does it cheat by using imagery of a beautiful woman undressing. Powerful design is subtle.