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Salience Bias

An example of a minimalist soda can design standing out amongst traditional soda can designs in a vending machine.

Salience is about introducing elements that are made to jump out, especially on an emotional level.

So it follows that Salience Bias is the way that people are bound to things that feel unique or different. This is a powerful tool to influence a user's perception of value. A mediocre product that stands out from its competitors may get more attention than the technically "superior" product.

There is no better parallel than Elon Musk's Cybertruck. It isn't particularly special in terms of acting as a truck, but its angular design is immediately salient and eye-catching. Despite poor rear visibility, exorbitant repair costs, and a lack of crumple zones for safety, it has still managed to sell a decent number of units on the merit of its uniqueness.

Salience can be achieved in a few ways, including but not limited to:

  1. Size: Making an element larger than the surrounding elements.
  2. Color: Using a color that is more visually striking than the surrounding elements.
  3. Motion: Using animation to draw the eye to the element.