Universal Principles of Design, Updated and Expanded Third Edition

175 Stickiness

Properties of information that increase recognition, recall, and voluntary sharing.

Stickiness refers to the ability of certain ideas to become lodged in the cultural consciousness. Stickiness applies to anything that can be seen, heard, or touched — slogans, advertisements, and products. Consider stickiness in the design of instruction, advertising, products, and other contexts involving memory.1

Six variables appear to be key in the creation of sticky ideas:

1. Simplicity — The idea can be expressed simply, without sacrificing depth (e.g., “It’s the economy, stupid”, used during Bill Clinton’s 1992 U.S. presidential campaign). Keep messages succinct but profound.
2. Surprise — The idea contains an element of surprise, which grabs ...