Challenging design conventions by testing whether harder-to-read text and color saturation influence product memorability and consumer preference
What if common design intuitions about font legibility are wrong? This research project challenges a fundamental assumption in marketing and design: that clearer, more legible fonts lead to better memorability and higher purchase intent.
Inspired by academic research suggesting that "disfluent" (harder-to-read) text can enhance learning by forcing readers to engage more deeply with content, I designed an experiment to test whether these findings translate to product marketing and consumer behavior.
The study examined two key design elements: disfluent text (using the specially designed Sans Forgetica font) and signaling (using color saturation to guide visual attention). By testing these elements in a controlled experiment, I sought to provide evidence-based insights for designers and marketers about whether making text deliberately harder to read might actually improve product memorability and consumer preference.
To determine whether disfluent text and visual signaling through color saturation affect product memorability and consumer preference in marketing contexts.
Fall-Winter 2022, completed in December 2022 as part of USC's Experimental Research Methods course.
Lead Researcher: Designed experimental methodology, created survey instruments, developed visual stimuli, conducted statistical analysis, and authored the research paper.
Qualtrics (survey platform), Adobe Photoshop (image manipulation), Figma (website mockup), SPSS (statistical analysis), Univariate Analysis of Variance.
Web designers and marketers often rely on untested assumptions about design elements—such as font legibility and color saturation—and their impact on consumer behavior. However, academic research in educational contexts has suggested that making text harder to read might actually improve retention and recall. The challenge was to determine whether these counterintuitive findings apply to marketing contexts.
I designed a 2Ă—2 between-subjects experimental study to test how font disfluency (through Sans Forgetica font) and signaling (through color saturation) affect product memorability and consumer preference. By carefully controlling the experimental conditions, I could isolate the effects of these specific design elements.
Comparison of regular Roboto font with disfluent Sans Forgetica font, designed to be harder to read and theoretically increase retention through deeper processing.
This experimental study followed a rigorous research methodology to test how disfluent text and color saturation affect product memorability and consumer preference in marketing contexts.
I began by exploring contradictions between common design practices and academic research. According to Google's Material Design guidelines, designers should avoid hard-to-read fonts, yet research by Weissgerber (2016) found that disfluent text could enhance memory through deeper cognitive processing. I also reviewed studies on signaling by Lai and Zhang (2021), which found that visual cues like color could guide attention and enhance retention. Based on this research, I hypothesized that both disfluent text and increased color saturation would improve product memorability and potentially affect consumer preference.
I designed a 2Ă—2 between-subjects experimental study with font type (regular Roboto vs. disfluent Sans Forgetica) and saturation level (0% vs. 75% increased) as independent variables. Using Figma, I created a mockup e-commerce website displaying backpacks with consistent product photography. Adobe Photoshop was used to create the saturation variations, ensuring precise 75% saturation increases for the high-saturation conditions.
I developed a Qualtrics survey that randomly assigned participants to one of the four experimental conditions. Participants were shown screen recordings of interactions with the e-commerce website mockup, with the version determined by their assigned condition. After viewing the recording, participants were asked to identify their favorite product and recall specific product details (such as price or color), allowing me to measure both preference and memorability. I recruited 48 participants, primarily USC students and personal connections, across the four experimental conditions.
I analyzed the data using Univariate Analysis of Variance with α=.05 to test for main effects of font type and saturation level, as well as their interaction. I removed one outlier due to nonsensical data. The analysis focused on identifying whether disfluent text and/or increased saturation significantly affected product memorability and consumer preference. I also analyzed effect sizes to understand the practical significance of any statistical findings.
The study produced surprising results that challenge both intuitive design assumptions and some academic research findings, offering valuable insights for designers and marketers.
The study's results provide nuanced insights about design elements in marketing contexts:
"This study set out to explore the intuitive conceptions designers have regarding fluent fonts. The present research found no evidence against these intuitions, but it also found nothing in favor of them. So there is still a lot to explore in this area, and future research is needed to uncover more results."
— From the research paper conclusion
This research project provided valuable experience in experimental design and challenged me to think critically about established design practices. While the results didn't support the hypotheses, the process of testing these assumptions generated important insights and avenues for future exploration.
This project taught me the importance of testing design assumptions rather than relying on intuition or conventional wisdom. Though the results didn't support the hypotheses, the research process itself was valuable—demonstrating that null results can be just as informative as positive findings. I gained hands-on experience with experimental design, statistical analysis, and the complexities of studying human behavior in digital environments. The project reinforced my commitment to evidence-based design approaches and sparked my curiosity about other untested assumptions in the design and marketing world.
Interested in the complete research findings? Download the full research paper that details the methodology, results, and implications of this study.
Download Full Research Paper (PDF)