#1 Visual double meanings

Expose the double meaning of your headline to add a playful touch to your ad.

Step 1: Write down your key message

"Travel plans fall apart; we fix them fast, 24/7."

Step 2: Phrase it as a headline you can play with

Search for words that have double meanings and are connected to your key message.

"Plans fall apart" becomes "gone sideways". And "sideways" has a literal sense we can use.

Step 3: List double meanings

Once you have a word you can play with, think of ways to show its other meaning.

For example, to illustrate the word “sideways”, you could tilt the text or show a tilted object. 

Sometimes the literal image won't be relevant to your value prop and will serve as a gimmick, and other times it will reinforce your message beyond wordplay. Like the Leaning Tower of Pisa being our literal interpretation of the word sideways and also symbolizing travel.

Step 4: Keep it obvious

Design around one strong visual subject and keep the delivery dead simple. If it takes more than 2 seconds to get, rework it.

#2 Visual metaphor/analogy

Show the problem, solution, or benefit as something unexpected to stop the scroll.

Step 1: Write down your key message

“Bad reviews hurt your reputation.”

Step 2: Find something unrelated

The goal is to present an abstract message through something concrete and tangible.

Start by identifying the main quality or idea you want to depict, like “hurt your reputation”.

Then, look for that same idea in a different context.

Brainstorm objects, situations, or scenarios, like a stain on a T-shirt or a wrecking ball hitting a wall.

Step 3: Tell the story

Keep iterating the design until the visual lands without explanation, and you're on the right track.

#3 Visual exaggeration

Depict your message at an impossible or absurd scale so it's immediately felt rather than explained.

Step 1: Find your angle

Focus on a real feeling your customer is experiencing, a pain point, or your product’s benefit.

Step 2: Exaggerate it

Go crazy. Find ways to make your key message absurd but still recognizable.

Frustration becomes a laptop through a window. Nagging becomes a megaphone and a banner.

Step 3: Create the scene

Your goal is to emphasize a point, evoke strong feelings, and sometimes even create a humorous effect.

So make sure to design a scene your audience instantly recognizes, feels, and relates to.