Salience is something that has been used for years in marketing techniques. The salience bias is when people tend to focus on items or information that is more noteworthy or unique than those that don’t grab attention. This makes sense if you think about it. With bottles on the shelf that all look the same, your attention will immediately go to the bottle that stands out like a sore thumb. This is great news for brands because that means being unique will help your revenue and reputation. You do this by advertising your product/service as standing out from competition through offering something that they lack and/or design your product so it is visually striking. So, why does this happen? Let’s take a closer look. It arises from contrast between things and their surroundings. It develops as a result of psychological cognitive ease as we become accustomed to our day to day interactions. Think about it like this, you don’t pay attention to the smells around you until you smell something that brings you back to your childhood. It can also come up as something draws us toward a specific aspect of the world. This can be apparent with someone who works in the advertising world and notices catchy and creative ads on billboards while driving. Someone who isn’t in the industry probably wouldn’t notice them unless they’re very striking. No matter what industry you are in, it’s important that you grab the attention of the consumer immediately. Be the brand that stands out as unique from all the rest to harness the power of the salience effect.
