If you are about to make a new ad you would better know which scenes, visual or audio solution have the highest potential to undermine the positive feelings you want to elicit. Also if we turn it around, you will know what to potentially think of when you want to elicit negative feelings.

There are many things in a video that affect people in different ways, but the list you have below will grant you with the highest probability that people’s brain do not want to feel close to what is seen or heard.

1. Involve culturally distant characters or situations

If we accept Darwin’s theory or just think of how prehistoric clans survived, it will be easy to understand that no matter how open and friendly you behave, how PC your words and thoughts are, your brain will always be cautious with those who are not of your kind. The same works for unfamiliar actions. In advertising it is crucial to pull the product closer to the target audience by depicting it through people similar to them (appearance, race, age, gender, lifestyle, etc.). The brain is not a PC thing when it comes to first impressions, however, their owners may still give a PC answer to how they liked your ad. 

2. Pack the scene with people

The more the merrier. Or not? If people have only a few seconds to familiarize with a situation their brain and eyes will be busy understanding the details (and judge what is happening and with whom these things happen). It not just requires time, but until the moment of clarity people tend not to resonate significantly with these busy, packed, “messy” scenes full of movements and actions. Such scenes might be essential to build context and support understanding, but do not overrepresent them if you have only a short time to tell your story. 

3. Apply quick cuts

Too many scenes, too fast changes have a high chance to block emotional resonation, even though the scenes in themselves are kind or relevant to the audience. Too much visual information squeezed in a short time feels rather negative or neutral. However, when you want to depict e.g. stress or a fast-paced lifestyle,. they may come handy to boost the meaning of your story. Hint: younger generations digest cuts and rapid style much better than their middle aged counterparts, not to mention elder viewers. 

4. Use poor lighting or just show actions in darkness

Reaction to darkness also reaches back to the prehistoric brain. “The night is dark and full of terrors” (GOT s.i.c), says the brain, too, so again goes into alert mode when situations are unclear due to poor lighting or just a real dark scenario. Dark scenes tend to get understood with some delay and will always be slightly hindered. Still, for instance if you have a spirit to advertise it might be strange if you use a day-time beach party as setting, so do not ditch night-shooting, just make sure you light faces and important actions well. 

5. Mumble or gabble 

Not just the visual but the audio matters, too. If people do not hear what is said, they might become confused and annoyed, which obviously does not help positive resonation.

6. Add harsh or weird noises

Noises are great. They create context and may boost engagement. However, if the noise is strange, sharp or freaky, it is granted that hearts (actually brains) will not beat in a positive way. Use the noises to create context, just do not overdo. 

7. Change to an unfamiliar perspective

Brains recognise things from the everyday perspective. The picture composition might be beautiful or unique but people might not be able to recognise or positively resonate with a dish from the inside or a product from a bird’s view perspective. Same goes to characters, if the situation requires understanding of their feelings but their faces (the major source of information for the brain) are partially or completely invisible, resonation may be diminished. 

+1 Swipe that camera, shake it-shake it

It may sound to be a great idea to shoot a video with one shot, but only do it when the movements and actions are continuous (like in a match cut). Strange camera movements (swipe, roll, turn, etc.) will always confront the brain. Nevertheless, they might still be good to shake up those feelings (give a negative bump) if all was positive like in Heavens before. 

All in all, you had better be aware that negative emotional resonation is an essential part of your ad. At the end of the day emotional intensity will keep you on the surface of memorability. If everything is positive and shiny you may not be remembered. So set those emotions on the roller coaster. But do it in a wise way - make sure you are not adding the brand or main messages to emotionally challenging scenes.

Written by Julia Csenge Halmos