Why good design works – and what research means for your branding.

Why good design works – and what science says about it

Design is not decoration. It controls how quickly people understand information, how credible a brand appears and what they choose. This is not just a gut feeling – it is

scientifically proven. Those who use these principles make better decisions for their branding and communicate more clearly.

1. understood more quickly: Processing Fluency

Our brain prefers content that is easy to process. Clear forms, clean typography and unambiguous hierarchies increase “processing fluidity”. What is easily absorbed is evaluated more positively – right up to brand evaluation (Lee & Labroo, Journal of Marketing Research, 2004).

2. logos with substance instead of decoration

Logos that relate to the content of the offer (descriptive) are understood more quickly, are perceived as more credible and have a measurable impact on brand and performance (Luffarelli, Mukesh & Mahmood, Journal of Marketing Research, 2019). A sign that picks up on the core of your business creates orientation. This is branding that carries – not styling.

3. recognizability beats volume

Consistent colors, typography and imagery reduce cognitive friction. People have to “translate” less – and remember more easily. Consistency is not a constraint, but a service for your target group – online and offline.

4. movement in the head: when a sign is “alive”

Even static brand logos can “evoke” movement and thus improve engagement and attitudes – dynamically perceived logos increase attention and involvement if they match the brand (Cian, Krishna & Elder, Journal of Marketing Research, 2014).

5 What companies should specifically derive

• Clarity before effects: Reduce until the message carries without explanation.
• Logo with reference: Check whether your logo is derived from the content of the offer – not just from style (see Luffarelli et al., 2019).
• Consistency everywhere: Consistent colors, typography, imagery and tone – website, social, print.
• Readability first: High contrast, clear hierarchy and sufficient font sizes – especially on mobile screens.
• System instead of individual parts: Define a small design system (colors, typography, spacing, components) and apply it consistently.
• As branding experts, we translate this into a clear, scalable brand system – from CI to implementation.

Conclusion

Good branding follows comprehensible principles. Those who apply them communicate more clearly, appear more credible and are bought more often. That is impact. As  We design our branding agency according to these principles.

And now?

If you want to know how these findings can be applied to your company, talk to us.
Tell us briefly where you currently stand and where the shoe may be pinching – we will be happy to provide you with our expertise.

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