Using negative space to your advantage in advertising is not only clever, but can provide a more impactful message and story to the viewer. In this post, we take a look at what exactly negative space is and how it can be used in your marketing.
What is Negative Space?
Simply put, Negative Space is the area around the subject in an image.
More often than not negative space is used to provide a focal point of a certain subject, however negative space can be manipulated to your advantage to make the negative space the actual focal point, or to provide a subliminal or hidden message.
Dupree International's Creative Director, Andy Wright shares his thoughts on Negative Space.
What every piece of media is trying to do, is attract audience attention in some shape or form. The use of negative space is yet another example of how this can be achieved.
One of the main features of negative space is the viewer will get a sense of accomplishment once they have worked out the negative space ‘creative execution’. This feeling of achievement provides the viewer with a positive feeling, which they then apply to the brand, product or promotion the image has been created for.
So not only do you attract your audience but they are left with a positive feeling toward you. Not bad for one piece of media!
Negative Space Adverts
Although many negative space images use just two contrasting colours such as black and white, along with minimalistic flat imagery, you can still use negative space in full-colour adverts that have texture.
In this advert we created for Realtree, we used the negative space to form the shape of flowing fabric. This particularly works well as Realtree is a camouflage pattern that is commonly applied to hunting clothing. The ad also brings to life the strapline "The fabric of nature".
Taking from Andy's quote above, this advert gives the viewer a little "puzzle" that they have to work out, once it 'clicks' and they understand what is going on, the attachment they have with the brand positively increases.
If you are thinking of using negative space in your next advert, let our creative minds create you something impactful, worthwhile and on-brand.