Clarity cuts through advertising’s noise

From 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 today, our attention span is adapting to the constant exposure to information we have. There’s more sound, brighter screens, more logos, endless scrolls. Every brand wants attention, and attention is scarce.

With bigger logos and brighter colours, brands are fighting for attention. It’s an overstimulating market in an already overstimulating world, but the brands that truly resonate don’t shout. They influence.                                 

On the already busy and loud highways of Mumbai, we often see equally busy and loud clutter from brands. The bright red Appy Fizz ads that had taken over many billboards around Mumbai, for example, grabbed our attention but said nothing.

What does “the one, the only’ mean? We see similar examples in many other outdoor and in-store advertising where real estate on assets is used to push the brand name rather than the brand’s values.

However, considering today’s increasing demand for transparency and meaningful engagement, fuelled by the younger generations, it is important for brands to consider the value they add and how to connect to people where they are.                            

In the midst of this chaos, people want clarity and familiarity, bringing a rise to the warm familiarity of nostalgic, retro cool aesthetics. By bringing music to everyday environments, Crab Culture makes the world its platform, bringing culture to the people in rougher, more back-to-basics environments. They don’t need a big stage to connect.

NPR’s Tiny Desk performances

In NPR’s Tiny Desk performances, the simplicity and therefore heightened focus on the music played live shine a spotlight on the artists’ raw talent, making it harder to argue against their skill. What we see here is the younger generations' demand for authenticity that meets them where they are.

Brighter lights and bigger flash are no longer the most exciting and engaging mode to connect. Instead, it’s about engaging with meaningful substance in its clearest form. Consumers want calm and honesty, and a stripped-back but clear message speaks the loudest.

A classic example of this honesty is Patagonia, who proudly walk the talk on sustainability. When it comes to their campaigns, they are straightforward, simple and clear with their narrative.

Apple too say less but instead allows the product to do the talking. This is quiet confidence in action, where, without the frills of words and layered executions, the audience sees themselves in the communication, as well as the value Apple can add to their lives.

Another successful way to be meaningful rather than loud is speaking to your consumers, engaging with a subject most relevant in their lives. In classic, motivational Nike style, the brand used their OOH platforms to encourage and build excitement around the Tata Mumbai marathon 2025. No mention of Nike or their products, but the role of the brand in this moment is loud and clear.

The power of this quiet confidence is incredible. In action-focused executions, brands have the ability to influence by being memorable. Rather than adding another bright red ‘no honking’ sign to the already cluttered roads, Mumbai Police led with playful action by creating direct consequences for action.

Nike's OOH campaigns during the Tata Marathon event.

Here, action was forced and unavoidable, which is a deeply important manner to influence, considering the context – noise pollution is a problem, honking is a habit, so let’s be clear on the consequences. Another great example of being clever with resources, Britannia talks about nature shaping them by simply showing exactly that. Not only is the message absolutely clear, but the innovative use of the billboard stands out more strikingly than any bright and loud billboard would.

When cutting clutter with clarity, what we learn is respecting the medium we’ve got and the message we are conveying. Using all the elements resourcefully ensures minimal clutter and maximum clarity. To boil it down to some principles, we must:

1. Choose our medium with purpose. Time spent looking at our phones is significantly more than on what’s outside the window, unfortunately. So, how important is renting out a big billboard on a highway?

2. Choose our words with reason. Do we need ten words to communicate what five can?

3. Engage with a pulse on culture. How does our brand fit into the current conversation?

People don’t want to be told. They want to be moved. To truly move people through design, we must champion clarity over clutter. Simplicity isn’t just refreshing, it’s unforgettable and confident.

In the loud and overstimulating world we all live in already, we can connect with our consumers more deeply by using our medium more thoughtfully, by constructing our message more simply, by staying true to who we are and what we do rather than succumbing to our loud environments.

- Gayatri Rana, Brand Strategist, Design Bridge and Partners