Sometimes people confuse “subtlety” and “aesthetics.” or “subtlety” and “attention to detail”.
Art can be subtle. Marketing can’t be, at least in getting its message across.
The best marketing pays enormous attention to detail. Nevertheless, messages are shouted more than whispered. Whispers are easily drowned out.
Bang them over the head, don’t sort of hint at what you want to say. Got it? They may not get it anyway, even after you’ve repeated it a hundred times. At least you’ll give yourself a chance.
There is no such thing as “subliminal messages” despite the volume of material that’s been written on the subject, including a bestselling book, “The Hidden Persuaders” (Vance Packard) dating all the way back to the Stone Ages – 1957.
Yes, your message is carried by a lot more than the copy and the imagery. Choice of color scheme, shapes, fonts, the very medium in which you place your marketing communications, all contribute or detract from the message.
To cite another ancient text “The Medium Is The Message” (Marshall McLuhan, 1964) is an exaggeration. The medium does contribute to the message.
So.
DON’T BE SUBTLE.
“Marketing” and “Subtle” are two words that shouldn’t appear in the same sentence.