Connotations and Context

Connotations are the mental connections between the abstract and the tangible. Every message can have at least two meaningsa literal one and a suggestive one. The ability to make associations on both a conscious and unconscious level is a remarkable phenomenon in the human imagination. We have both emotional and environmental thoughts about what we see. We don't just "think" about things; we feel and remember them as well.

Psychologist and philosopher William James once said, "Whilst part of what we perceive comes through our senses from the object before us, another part (and it may be the larger part) always comes from our own mind."

Words and images with similar meanings can evoke responses that are quite different. For example, consider the words fat and plump. Words like plump feel jolly when applied to people, or juicy and ripe when applied to food. Fat, on the other hand, can feel much more negative, even though its definition is quite similar to that of plump.

Just like words, visual images have different connotations. Generally speaking, when something is left to the imagination it has more impact than when all the details are made evident. This also makes your audience feel more intelligent and flattered. So rather than spell things out entirely, we rely on connotation. Things seem more "fun," "healthy," "masculine," "feminine," "young," or "old" not because of what they intrinsically are but because of how they are presented.

Figure 8.11. Jumping over buildings, wearing sneakers. The images in the Steve Madden ad series create an association with a dynamic youthful lifestyle.

Because the human mind is an association machinethat is, we link new information with familiar knowledgecertain concepts can be represented or suggested by other elements. This effect is often more subconscious than consciousit's known as associative recall, which is closely tied into the working of memory. Thinking one thing gets a person thinking related thoughts. If those related thoughts are positive, that's good news for your product.

Among the first forays into artificial intelligence was a 1960s computer called the Perceptron. Using this device, a response to a stimulus triggered another response, which triggered still more until the computer "recognized" the stimulus. Human psychology works in a similar manner, as people associate ideas, emotions, and objects with the things they see and read.

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Provide viewers with the words and visuals to help them make their own associations and connections. Just be sure the associations are clear and positive so this approach doesn't backfire.

Association is one reason that endorsements are often used in advertising. The public "knows" celebrities and associates them with various attributes and qualities. Also, people are more likely to do what's requested when they like the person making the request, just as they're more likely to listen when they feel they are hearing the voice of an authority such as a doctor or dentist.

The context in which we see things also shapes our overall impression. An ad can reflect certain specific objects or eventshistorical, sociological, cultural, political, seasonal, and so onthat color our perceptions.

Context can be expressed by a very subtle image. For example, have you ever noticed that on a sapling, the leaves are really about the same size as those on a full-grown tree? It's their relative size to the branch and trunk that lets us know whether we are seeing part of a young tree or an old one. Be aware of context as you design, and remember that your audience will see only what you show themnot the "big picture" in your head.

Making use of context can be a wonderful exercise in subtlety or a bold and daring statement. Sometimes throwing something unexpected into a layout will attract attention. However, if you want to employ this technique, you must understand what you are doing and what you wish to achieve. Unless it is to make a particular point, don't treat something in an "artistic" manner that deprives it of its true character. The viewer won't understand how to interpret it, and it will merely serve to distract and confuse. As Thomas Jefferson once said, "If there is not a good reason for doing something, you have one good reason not to do it."