The Von Restorff Effect: How to Guide Users to Choose What You Want

When you look at a pricing page with 3 plans — there's always one that stands out more than the other two. Its color is different, its size is larger, or it has a "Most Popular" badge.

This is not a coincidence. This is the Von Restorff Effect — also known as the Isolation Effect.

The Effect

In 1933, scientist Hedwig von Restorff discovered that the element different from the rest of the group is remembered far more.

If you have a list of 10 words all in black and one word in red — the red word is the one you'll remember.

Examples in Design

Pricing Pages

ClickUp makes its preferred plan with a darker color — so your eye goes to it first. Spotify, Slack, and all SaaS companies do the same thing.

CTA Buttons

The main button is a different color from the rest of the page. If the page is blue — the button is orange. Your eye goes straight to it.

Notifications

The small red dot on an app icon. Different from everything around it — so it captures your attention immediately.

How to Use It Correctly?

1. Only One Element

If everything is highlighted — nothing is highlighted. Choose the most important element and make it different.

2. Clear Contrast

The difference must be obvious — not subtle. A completely different color, a noticeably larger size.

3. Use It Ethically

This effect can be used for positive guidance (like highlighting the best plan) or for manipulation (Dark Patterns). Use it the right way.

Conclusion

The Von Restorff Effect is a very powerful design tool. When you understand it — you can direct the user's attention exactly where you want it.