You’ve cooked up your latest ad campaign. It’s bold. It’s fresh. It’s about to break the internet.
Then your boss squints at the concept and asks:
???? “Why is there a face on this ad?”
???? “Where’s the face in this ad?”
What do you say?
Well… both questions are weirdly valid.
Let’s break it down.
(Also—do we use exclamation marks when we’re thinking out loud in a blog post? Maybe! Maybe not! That’s a whole other post, friendos.)
???? We’re Hardwired to Look for Faces
We’re human. At least most of us are.
(You bots reading this? Sit down.)
Our brains are built to seek out faces. We find them everywhere—even where they don’t exist. The moon? A pancake? That plug socket giving you side-eye? Yep. Faces.
It’s called pareidolia, and it’s why we see smiley faces in clouds or a grumpy dude in our toast.
We’re face-obsessed. It’s biology.
???? Faces = Familiarity
Here’s the deal: we trust what feels familiar. A smiling face in an ad? That’s marketing gold.
Why? Because we’ve got faces too. Duh.
Smiles trigger comfort, security, and even joy. Babies know it. Smile at them—they’ll smile back. It’s instinct.
Familiarity builds trust. Trust builds conversions. Boom.
BUT… (Yes, there’s a “but”)
Let’s flip the coin.
???? Faces Can Steal the Show
Put a jaw-dropping model front and center, and guess what? People will definitely look… at the face. Not the product. Not the CTA. Just that perfect cheekbone structure.
Congrats, your message just got ghosted.
???? A Face ≠ A Full Message
Sure, a face might grab attention. But unless that face is the message, you’ve still got work to do.
Can your product benefits, brand values, and CTA be delivered through a face?
If not, you better back it up with strong copy, a killer headline, and visuals that speak beyond the eyes.
???? Not All Faces Speak to Everyone
Let’s be real: your chosen face matters.
Age, gender, ethnicity—all influence who connects with your ad.
That beautiful, smiling, 20-something Caucasian guy? He might connect with some, but not all.
There’s no one-size-fits-all face. And if your brand is aiming for universal appeal, you might need to rethink your visuals.
So… Face or No Face?
It depends. Like most great creative choices, it’s all about context, audience, and message.
Some faces build connection.
Others distract.
The trick? Knowing the difference.
What about you?
Team Face or Team Faceless?
