White Space in Ads - McDonalds Draws a Blank

Every designer knows that a good use of white space can be very effective. Keeping a certain proportion of an advertisement without clutter is vital, but just how much is the right amount?

McDonalds took the white space concept really far in a recent ad in a print publication. The double page spread features nothing on either white page except for a few coffee stains and a tiny logo in the bottom right corner of the right page that reads, “Extra Large Coffe 16 Sek” and the McDonald’s logo.

Effective? Very. You look. It gets your attention. It evokes curiosity. Adrants writes about it. We write about it. Does it make me want to bypass Starbucks for a cup of joe at McDs? No way. But hey, it’s all about branding, spreading a message, and getting people to blab about the brand. In that sense, the ad is exceptional.