Simplicity, functionality and elegance never goes out of style and as the attention span of all audiences gets shorter and shorter, in order to stand out, designs need to be simple and straight to the point. We also can’t forget that digital advertisements are usually only shown for 8 seconds so minimalism is key when it comes to advertising on digital billboards!
Simplicity plays a crucial role in guiding the viewer's attention and helping them understand a product. The fewer elements there are in the mix, the better the chances that both of these goals will be achieved. Ad campaigns must always be both appealing to look at and easy to understand.
Achieving balance
Balance provides stability and structure. Balance refers to the relationship between shapes, colors, and negative spaces, which need to be appropriately distributed across the layout.
Establishing hierarchy
Visual hierarchy helps the viewer follow the intended order of elements, letting them know which pieces of information to look at first, second, third, and so on. Design elements such as size, composition, and typography play a significant role in establishing hierarchy and assigning your visual priorities.
Negative Space
Although negative space is most commonly white, it can be any color. Minimalism really needs negative space in order to help balance out the design and create “breathing room.” This plays a big part in contributing towards the hierarchy and balance of the design also.
A couple of tips to get you started:
Focus on the main message or element on the design and get rid of excessive text.
Utilise negative space, don’t have elements too close to the edges or to each other
Set information in a logical, natural order. Most important at the top, less important at the bottom
Keep it simple! Less is more.
From digital billboards and websites to packaging and printed products, there is no area of design that can’t use this trend to its benefit.