Let’s start with the definition of ‘legibility’ and ‘noticeability’.
According to Merriam Webster, legible means capable of being read. While noticeable means worthy of notice.
Before we go down deep, I must emphasize that the context of this topic is strictly based on display.
And display can be anything, from Instagram feed, Facebook feed, Twitter feed, to poster, billboard, or newspaper ad.
The first appropriate question is do you want your display to be legible or to be noticable?
And the second question is when you scroll through your Instagram feed, for instance, do you pay attention to some ordinary posts?
Or do you just pass it over? The second question will automatically answer the first question.
I bet that you just ignore that ordinary posts.
It’s true that legibility is important, especially when we need to read and understand something fast.
For example, when you read a newspaper, you want to read it fast and get the message right away.
You don’t want the text to be distinctive, or different from something that you have ever seen before.
You want it to be usual. You want it to be transparent so that you don’t even realize the shape of the letters.
But when it comes to display purpose, when you solely rely on legibility alone, this legibility becomes impotent.
The purpose of a display is to display. To show off what you have. You want your display to attract as much as possible potential customers.
The display must grab the eyes of the viewer. “Slap” them in the face. And to look ordinary is absolutely not the way.
If you don’t want to show it off, if you want to shy away, why do you spend dollars after dollars into this display? You burn cash for nothing.
Realize that no one give a damn about mediocre content.
In this high speed and ultra distracted society, to be ordinary is one certain way to death.
Look at the people around you. Look at the young people or even the old people. Look at their behavior.
They are too busy to give attention to something ordinary.
No one gives a fuck about ordinary billboard. Because people are too busy with their phone.
And no one gives a fuck with ordinary posts on their phone. Because these ordinary posts have to compete with naked Kendall Jenner.
Imagine that.
Do you think your ordinary posts can beat this nude super model?
Even when Kendall Jenner dresses in full clothes, people won’t give a fuck about ordinary posts.
So if you want to post an ordinary post, just go fuck yourself. Because no one else, except you, enjoy your post.
People are sleeping.
You can’t wake them up with some common noise.
You need something that poke their eyes, slap them in the face. Some thing that surprise them. WOW them.
Let me say it once again, we are living in a fast and ultra distracted world. If your message doesn’t grab attention, you are done.
Because ATTENTION is the gold.