Ah, the infamous “Make it pop!”—the feedback that sends a chill down every designer’s spine. It’s vague, overused, and leaves us all wondering, “What does ‘pop’ even mean?” Is it supposed to explode? Glow in the dark? Make you break into spontaneous applause?
Every time we hear it, we brace ourselves for a rollercoaster of confusion, creative frustration, and the ultimate test of our design skills. Join me as I revisit five times a client asked me to “make it pop” and how the results ranged from mildly exaggerated to straight-up circus-level absurdity.
The Neon Overload
Client: “Can you make the logo pop more? It’s just not popping.”
Me: “Pop? Sure. How about neon? Everybody loves neon.”
So, I gave the logo a glowing neon outline that would make Las Vegas jealous. It was practically humming on the screen like a fluorescent sign in a shady alley. The client’s reaction? “Hmm… Can we tone down the neon just a bit?”
In other words, they wanted it to pop… but not like that.
Fireworks Frenzy
Client: “We need this design to pop. Like, it should grab you instantly.”
Cue the fireworks. No, literally. I added an animated background of fireworks going off behind their brand’s logo. Because nothing says “grab your attention” like a Fourth of July spectacle, right?
Client: “Umm, this seems a little… distracting?”
No kidding. Who knew fireworks weren’t appropriate for every brand?
The Disco Ball Disaster
Client: “I really want the homepage to pop. Like, POP.”
Pop, you say? Time to break out the disco ball. I gave the homepage a glittery, animated disco ball right in the center with flashing lights and groovy vibes. It was the most interactive dance party a website could handle.
Client: “Well, this is… bold. But maybe let’s keep it a bit more… subtle?”
Disco might not be dead, but my patience almost was.
Glow-in-the-Dark Madness
Client: “It just needs to pop more! Can you make the text really stand out?”
So, I added glow-in-the-dark effects to the typography. Yes, it glowed like a nuclear waste site at midnight. And no, I didn’t stop there. I went full neon green, practically blinding anyone who dared to glance at it.
Client: “Maybe we went a bit too far?”
Too far? Never. This is the glow you asked for!
The Popcorn Logo
Client: “We need this logo to pop! You know, just something that really screams ‘WOW!’”
At this point, why not take “pop” literally? So, I created a version of the logo where animated popcorn kernels exploded around the company name in a glorious buttery celebration. It was fun, lively, and undeniably popping in every sense of the word.
Client: “It’s… creative, but I don’t think popcorn fits our brand.”
Sigh. You asked for pop, didn’t you?
The next time you feel the urge to ask a designer to “make it pop,” do us a favor—be specific! What does “pop” mean to you? More color? More contrast? A literal explosion of popcorn?
As designers, we can work miracles with the right direction. But when left to our own devices, don’t be surprised if your logo shows up with disco balls, fireworks, and an all-out dance party in the background. After all, we take your feedback very seriously—and sometimes a little too literally.
So, let’s retire “make it pop” and find more ways to express what you really want. Until then, I’ll be over here with my popcorn.