Why Focus Groups are Imperative

One would think I am ransacking the net for the strange and bizarre. However, it just seems to be my lifestyle to point these things out while others believe certain products and beliefs 'just exist without question.' It's a designer's creed to create and understand optical illusions in pursuit of the client's final product.

Here is the classic example of an optical illusion. Do you see a young woman or an old lady? Bonus point if you see both.



Now, I have to ask, do these cheese spreaders look like mice to you...
or do they look like mini members of the KKK?

The reinforcment of this illusion is that the product is large and faded against the stark white background, while appearing to loom over the landscape like a cross on a landscape. Moreover, the contrived product with rounded arms seems like a friendly introduction for a KKK larve playground.

If you're new to the world of entrepreneurship or you're introducing a new product line, be sure to have your marketing team run a focus group on the intrepretation of your branding and the product itself. If the cheese spreaders were your product, you'll want to make sure you know your demographic, otherwise you may just experience a flaming mouse through your front window.