Zigging When Others Are Zagging: The Von Restorff Effect

The Von Restorff Effect is a seemingly simple concept that is wildly under-utilised. Learn the psychological reason why going against the grain with your branding or product can embed your brand in your audience’s mind.

My gorgeous dogs, Jilly (left) and Finn (right)

A prerequisite to owning two working dogs is that I attend my local dog park, religiously. People are much more likely to notice and remember my three legged girl than my four legged gentleman. They’re both adorable, friendly and sweet (pictures below, for tax purposes). But she’s different.

Hedwig von Restorff, a renowned female (woo!) behavioural scientist in the early 1930s, made a significant contribution to our understanding of memory and recall with the development of the Von Restorff effect. This psychological principle, also known as the isolation or bizarreness effect, asserts that the more something differs from its surroundings, the more likely it is to attract attention and be remembered. In a park full of four legged dogs, the one with three stands out. Simple, right?

This notion of distinctiveness enhancing recall goes a step further with the Red Sneaker Effect, which suggests that being unique not only aids memory but can also elevate social status. Nonconforming behaviours, despite being costly and visible, can serve as a form of conspicuous consumption, leading to positive inferences of status and competence in the eyes of others.

Behavioural scientist, Francesca Gino observed that at academic conferences, those who were less conventionally dressed were often perceived as less competent. However, this was not a universal truth. Those who had the confidence and social status (the well regarded, experienced academics) to break convention and dress differently, without seeming out of place, were often the ones who stood out and were remembered. These people did things like wearing red sneakers in the professional setting, or jeans and a T shirt in a sea of suits. So, whilst a clown outfit would make you stand out too much, dressing in a way slightly unaligned with the general dress code, combined with some degree of social status makes you memorable and further elevates that status.

Applying the Red Sneaker and Von Restorff Effects in the context of marketing and branding often has amazing results. Brands that dare to be different, to break away from category conventions, can stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression on consumers. Some of these are:

• Milkshake- Branding
  Plug ‘creative agency’ into Google and you’ll see a whole lot of san serif logos. when coming up with the concept for Milkshake Creative, I centred around being different from the traditional agency experience. Where others are zagging, I zigged with the script logo in a bold red. Different, fun, memorable ✅

• Goldi- Form Factor
  When you think ‘olive oil’, you expect to find it in a glass bottle. Goldi wants you to think again. These guys have used packaging form factor and fun, bright branding to stand out on the shelf and in the kitchen.

• Liquid Death- Form Factor & Branding
  I know, it’s every marketer’s favourite brand to love. Bottled water usually conjures images of mountains, streams and greenery. The people at Liquid Death said nope and popped their water in a can with a heavy metal aesthetic. The result? Sales through the roof and no one can shut up about it. A masterclass in the Red Sneaker Effect.

• Lush- In-Store Experience
  If you’ve been into a LUSH store, you know there isn’t anything quite like it. The brand has perfected their retail experience by offering free samples and demonstrations on almost every product. Instead of the rows of cosmetic products like Sephora or Mecca, the brand displays products out of packaging, offering a grocery store, ‘pick your own’ type of experience.

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For small businesses looking to harness these behavioural psychology principles in their branding and marketing, here are three actionable steps:

1. Dare to be different: Don't be afraid to break away from category norms and conventions. This could be in your product design, packaging, or marketing campaigns. Be unexpected. Think outside the square.

2. Understand your audience: Know the conventions and values of your target audience. This will allow you to break conventions in a way that is meaningful and positively impactful. (Don’t wear the full clown outfit!)

3. Be consistent: Once you've decided to go against the grain, be consistent with it. Your distinctive element should be a recurring theme, helping to build a strong and memorable brand identity.