Is Your Design Balanced?

The "Magic Box" by Trisha Ahlman

Here's the test. In advertising, there is a theory called the "magic box". It's the place where you want to draw the consumers attention. I like to use no more than three (3) focal points (in most cases) when designing a piece of collateral. Do not over do it! This is difficult because we are tempted to get our logo, the message, the promotion and all the other important facts in our ads.

In order to find the "magic box", you need to draw a box around the item you want your audience to notice first. For instance, if you're Coke it might be around the coke can. If you are selling diamonds, perhaps it's the hand with the diamond that is prominent. Then draw a horizontal line and a vertical line (I like to off-center the magic box). If there are other objects fighting for my attention, there are several techniques that work. All other objects outside of the "magic box":

1. Create smaller text and use a lighter color (i.e. gray so that it's not too prominent)
2. Keep it clean and take some of the other objects out all together
3. Using a graphic design program, make the "magic box" object more prominent
4. Make other objects smaller from a perspective point of view
5. Ask friends and colleagues if they think the ad is balanced for a quick field test
6. Off-center the focal points (I prefer asymmetrical design)
7. Blur out background images so the focal point is more prominent
   

Some graphic artist say that balance is achieved through symmetry... I say, achieving balance doesn't mean that you have a perfect, symmetrical ad or design - it just means you need to find the "magic box" and make sure that your focal point isn't fighting for real estate from background noise.

Always follow the rule K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Stupid). Sorry to be so brash, but I see too many great ads that over do it when it comes to layout. Can you find the magic box in the ad posted here?

Trisha Ahlman has been marketing for nearly 20 years. Out of high school, Trisha Ahlman was awarded a four year art scholarship in which she won from an impressionist painting she entered into a contest by the Houston Art Society. She has a team of designers and artists that work with her and is creatively directs nearly every project. She now teaches Visual Communication part-time at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business at Texas Southern University. Her company, Augment Marketing consults hundreds of businesses on marketing, branding, layout, and design. For more information, visit www.augmentgroup.com.