Universal Principles of Design, Revised and Updated

Stickiness

A method for dramatically increasing the recognition, recall, and unsolicited sharing of an idea or expression.

Popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his book The Tipping Point, the term 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. Six variables appear to be key in the creation of sticky ideas:1

1.   Simplicity —The idea can be expressed simply and succinctly, without sacrificing depth (e.g., “It’s the economy, stupid,” used during Bill Clinton’s 1992 U.S. presidential campaign).

2.   Surprise —The idea contains an element of surprise, which grabs attention (e.g., when the Center ...