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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.
Companies that use these principles make better branding decisions and communicate more clearly. This article is about what research says about this – and what companies can actually derive from it.
We provide an in-depth look at how these findings show up in practice in the article Your logo looks good – but does it work?.
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 the evaluation of brands (Lee & Labroo, Journal of Marketing Research, 2004).
Consistent design means that information is understood more quickly, content appears more credible – and users have to “struggle” less to find their way around. This applies equally to websites, presentations, social media and print.
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.
What this can look like in practice is demonstrated by projects such as Petunia Specialty Coffee where the logo and visual identity were developed directly from the origin and product.
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.
It is crucial that design behaves like a system and not like individual parts. When website, social media, print, packaging and presentations speak the same visual language, recognition is created – and with it trust.
One example of this is Il Gelatowhere the brand can be found on ice cream cups, in menus, on variety labels in the display case and on merchandise – and remains clearly recognizable everywhere.
4. movement in the head: when a sign is “alive”
Even static brand logos can “evoke” movement and thus influence engagement and attitudes. Dynamically perceived logos increase attention and involvement – provided they fit the brand (Cian, Krishna & Elder, Journal of Marketing Research, 2014).
For companies, this means that design can be lively – as long as it is embedded in a clear system and does not become a gimmick. Dynamism is effective when it supports an attitude, not replaces it.
5 What companies should specifically derive
- Clarity before effects: Reduce until the message carries without additional 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). More on this in the article Your logo looks good – but does it work?.
- Consistency everywhere: Consistent colors, typography, imagery and tone – website, social, print, presentations, internal communication.
- 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 – instead of reinventing every medium.
- As a branding agency, we translate these principles into a clear, scalable brand system – from visual identity to everyday implementation.
Conclusion
Good branding follows comprehensible principles. Those who apply them communicate more clearly, appear more credible and are chosen more often. Design is therefore not a decoration, but a strategic tool.
We explain how we develop brands in line with these principles at
Branding / Designing your brand.
And now?
If you want to know how these findings can be applied to your company, let’s talk about it. Tell us briefly where you currently stand and where things are going wrong – then we’ll look together at which design and branding adjustments will really make an impact.
