Ads Without Words: Is Less Really More?

Posted by Erin Schroeder, Copywriter & Online Specialist

As marketers, we quickly learn that the ads we put out there must pack some punch … the messages we choose must be carefully crafted to convey impact and immediacy.

So what’s with all the print ads that are using virtually no words to communicate?

There’s the new test series from McDonald’s that shows nothing but close-ups of popular menu items … no catchy slogan or classic golden-arched logo in the pieces – just shots of crispy French fries, chocolate-drizzled ice cream and a tarter-covered Filet-O-Fish.

Or what about Samsung’s popular ads for its MP3 player? In them, we see a full-size graphic with a musician in the listener’s ear and small product name and logo noted at bottom, but no standard sell copy or product features.

Turns out many big-name companies are starting to rely on their brand recognition by using strong – yet simple – visuals to tell their story.

Will this approach work? We’ll see. If brands keep testing this format and choosing their images just as meticulously as they select their words, this is a trend that definitely has the potential to catch on.

After all, we do live in a hustle-and-bustle kind of culture where we’re constantly trying to process as much as we can, as fast as we can. And with that, less often means more.