Had an exchange with a client this morning that brought a common conflict to mind. We aren’t working on anything major: a simple little black and white banner ad for a local magazine. You know, the kind that supports a local charity under the guise of advertising.

 

In the interest of keeping costs to a minimum, the client sketched out a simple “business card” layout. In keeping with his personal aesthetic, it was perfectly symmetrical, centered on a vertical axis. Happens all the time and it’s perfectly understandable. It’s the way we perceive beauty in nature. Tests have repeatedly demonstrated that we judge facial beauty according to (among other things) how perfectly it exhibits right-left symmetry.

 

It stands to reason that the average person chooses to approach a design task with an eye toward symmetry. We tend to “hang” images on a scale in the mind’s eye and tend to feel a certain resolution when things are visually balanced. In the absence of any other criteria, that’s what “looks good.”

 

The thing is, that can create a problem when it comes to creating effective communication. You see, perfectly balanced geometry is all about answers. It tends to end discussion by achieving a very satisfying sense of resolution. Depending upon your communication goals, that can be terrific. A strong brand with exceptional top-of-mind awareness can use it to make a definitive statement that reinforces consumer confidence. Used incorrectly, it can make an ad disappear. Perfect symmetry can be beautiful and, at the same time, fail to provoke or engage your audience in a constructive way.

 

Long story short? Your personal aesthetic is not relevant when you’re judging your company’s communication. It’s going to drive you nuts sometimes, but what you like is really not very important. Creating effective communication is a science that takes a wide range of audience factors into account. Nothing else matters.