In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with ads—on our phones, in our feeds, on billboards and even sneaking into our Spotify playlists—it takes more than a flashy product shot to stand out. With so much noise competing for our attention, design becomes the make-or-break factor. Color, typography, balance and space aren’t just artsy details; they decide whether an ad lingers in your mind or gets scrolled past without a second glance.
To see how these principles play out in real life, I took a closer look at three very different ads: Tylenol, a steak-on-a-bun promotion and Leafguard.
Tylenol: A Clean Hit
How football season headaches meet brand dominance
The Tylenol ad is a strong example of clear, brand-centered design.
The color red dominates the ad, instantly tying it to the company’s recognizable branding, even down to the detail of a fan wearing red. Typography is simple and to the point, reflecting Tylenol’s straightforward message.
The metaphors at play connect the product to football season, subtly hinting that headaches and body aches are part of the game—and Tylenol is the solution. While the ad doesn’t leave much empty space, it doesn’t feel cluttered either. The balance and rhythm work well together, keeping the viewer’s eye moving without confusion.
Overall, the unity between imagery, color and message makes the ad memorable.
Steak on a Bun: Too Much on the Plate
When copy overload kills the appetite
By contrast, the steak-on-a-bun ad struggles with proportion and balance.
The copy is heavy and the type is small, making it harder to digest quickly. Bullet points help create structure, but the abundance of text takes away from the impact. The left side of the ad feels crowded, while the right side has too much empty space, which disrupts the overall balance. Because of this, the rhythm of the design feels uneven, and there’s no single dominant element to catch the eye first.
Although the ad conveys its message, the unity is slightly off, and it could benefit from relying less on text and more on imagery.
Leafguard: A Storm of Design Chaos
Proof that “less is more” isn’t just a saying
Finally, the Leafguard ad shows how poor use of space and color can overwhelm a viewer.
The design feels unbalanced because too much is crammed into the layout without intentional spacing. Colors don’t work consistently together, which breaks unity and creates a scattered look. Typography lacks hierarchy, so the copy feels randomly proportioned and confusing to navigate. Without a clear dominant feature, the eye has no direction, leaving the overall message unclear.
A minimalist approach would strengthen the ad—by stripping away excess elements and focusing on a central message like “doing less is more,” the design could finally support the product rather than distract from it.
These three ads show the power of design principles in action.
Tylenol succeeds by staying unified and brand-focused, the steak ad loses clarity through imbalance and copy overload and Leafguard fails to deliver by cramming in too much.
Good advertising doesn’t just sell a product; it uses design to cut through the noise and make the message unforgettable.
