# White Space in Ads McDonalds Draws a Blank By Bianca | Published 2008-02-26 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/white-space-mcdonalds References: [adrants](http://www.adrants.com/2008/02/big-ass-mcdonalds-coffee-ad-makes-smart.php) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-1) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-mcdonalds-campaign) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/starbucks-new-ads) 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. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 83% | Activity: 86% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Branding](https://www.trendhunter.com/branding) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Minimalist Advertising:** Exploring the use of white space and minimal elements in advertisements to create impact and evoke curiosity. - **Attention-grabbing Ads:** Utilizing unconventional and minimal ad designs to capture viewer's attention and stand out from the crowd. - **Branding Through Curiosity:** Using mysterious and minimalist ad approaches to generate curiosity and spark conversations about the brand. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Advertising and Marketing:** Opportunity for ad agencies and marketers to experiment with minimalist ad designs and leverage curiosity-driven branding techniques. - **Print Publications:** Potential for print publications to offer innovative ad spaces that embrace the use of white space and minimalist designs. - **Coffee and Fast Food:** Disruptive potential for coffee and fast food chains to rethink their advertising strategies and find unique ways of capturing consumer attention through minimalistic approaches. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Architecture-Inspired QSR Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-mcdonalds-campaign.md) - [Calmly Dimmed Billboard Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/decaf-billboard.md) - [Playful QSR Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-campaign-1.md) - [Pristine Fast Food Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/all-flavour-no-mess.md) - [QSR Menu Billboard Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/real-size-campaign.md) - [Scented Fast Food Billboards](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scented-billboard.md) - [Anti-Design Pet Food Packaging](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gentle-giants.md) - [Sustainable QSR Litter Adverts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-malta.md) - [Ice Cream Popsicle Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/devoured-campaign.md)