Creating high-performing content needs to deliver across the five key drivers of creative effectiveness. They don’t act in isolation, they influence each other, and attention acts like a gatekeeper, unless you’re noticed you can’t be remembered.
Our models analyse 40+ scientifically codified, universal characteristics that influence attention, memory and emotion. By understanding how these three interact - and following simple creative principles - brands can systematically lift their platform scores and produce more effective content.
The Three Pillars: How Attention, Memory and Emotion Work Together.
Attention: What the viewer notices first - and how they visually process the asset Attention is the entry point for all downstream impact. If viewers don’t look at your asset or the elements within it, it won’t be remembered or prompt a reaction.
Memory: What is stored in memory
Memory depends on distinctiveness, clarity, meaningfulness, and the absence of interference.
Emotion: What the viewer feels—and how strongly that feeling is
Emotion shapes attention, deepens memory encoding, and drives decision-making.
Together, attention promotes perception, emotion mediates the reaction, and memory stores the impression.
Optimising Attention:
Example | How |
Manipulate Salience and Visual Hierarchy | Use factors such as contrast, size, sharpness and visibility to ensure the viewer looks at the correct thing first. |
Guide the Viewing Path | Use layout, visual structure, flow lines and areas to create a clear visual hierarchy and a predictable and consistent attention pathway. |
Reduce Visual Competition | Simplify and reduce clutter, give important elements room to ‘breath’, remove non-essential items and limit both pallet and design complexity. |
Enhancing Memory:
Example | How |
Create Distinctive, Isolated Memory Traces | Add a unique visual twist, distinctive colour accent, or creative wording. |
Prevent Overload and Interference | Reduce text, group information logically, avoid competing items. |
Strengthen Brand Encoding | Use consistent placement and treatment of the logo’s, ensure a prominent location where it is seen early, surround brand cues with negative space, repeat brand colours. |
Elevating Emotion:
Example | How |
Shape Emotion With Colour, Symbols and Movement | Use warm palettes, dynamic elements, metaphors. |
Use Human and Expressive Elements | Prioritise authentic expressions, proximity, gaze and connection between characters and the brand or product. |
Use Emotionally Resonant Language | Use sensory, concrete words; avoid overly technical phrasing. |
The Integrated Model: How to Use All Three for Better Creative
Ensure Attention Lands Where It Should and Moves In a Consistent Pattern
Support Distinct, Deep, Clear Memory Encoding
Reinforce With Emotion to Increase Impact and Memorability
Test, Iterate, and Balance
Conclusion
Effective creativity requires content that is seen, understood, felt, and remembered. By optimising attention, memory, and emotion in harmony, brands deliver creative that delivers strong performance in market.
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