If attention is the currency of marketing, surprise is the hook that gets the first deposit.
In a saturated world of sameness—where most brands recycle the same visuals, promises, and templates—novelty is your secret advantage.
But why does surprise work so well?
Because your brain was designed to notice it.
Let’s break down the neuroscience of surprise, how it affects memory and decision-making, and how to use it ethically in your marketing strategy.
Why the Brain Craves Novelty
Humans are wired to seek patterns. But we’re also wired to detect when something breaks the pattern.
That’s where novelty comes in.
When the brain encounters something unexpected, it triggers the orienting response—a short burst of attention that asks:
“Is this important? Do I need to act?”
This leads to a cascade of neural effects:
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Increased dopamine (reward anticipation)
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Stronger encoding in the hippocampus (memory formation)
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A short-term override of autopilot processing
Put simply: surprise pierces through noise and forces the brain to pay attention.
Why Marketers Should Care
Surprise is more than just a gimmick.
It changes the way people engage, remember, and decide.
Here’s what the research shows:
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Novel stimuli are more likely to be remembered (Wittmann et al., 2007)
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Unexpected ad formats outperform standard ones in attention and recall (Teixeira et al., 2012)
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Surprise increases click-through rates and conversions when balanced with clarity (Marketing Science Institute, 2016)
And yet, most marketing is built for predictability, not novelty.
Types of Surprise That Work
Not all surprises are created equal. The goal isn’t randomness—it’s meaningful deviation.
Here are a few ways to do it well:
1. Visual Novelty
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A quirky or unexpected image in an otherwise serious feed
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A striking color scheme that breaks brand norms (sparingly!)
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Unusual layouts or scroll behavior (like a reverse scroll or dynamic reveal)
2. Verbal Contrast
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Use unexpected metaphors (“Your brand strategy has a prefrontal cortex”)
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Juxtapose opposites (“Data meets gut instinct”)
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Break rhythm or tone mid-sentence to create a pattern interrupt
3. Behavioral Surprise
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Delight users with small, rewarding moments (think Duolingo’s playful reminders)
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Send a thank-you note before a sale closes
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Offer a refund before they even complain
4. Emotional Disruption
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Begin with vulnerability when others flex authority
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Ask a question no one else is asking
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Tap into neglected emotions—like awe, relief, or bittersweet joy
The Ethics of Surprise
Surprise captures attention. But manipulative shock destroys trust.
Ask yourself:
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Is this surprise aligned with my message, or just clickbait?
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Does it elevate the user’s experience—or simply confuse them?
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Will it feel satisfying in hindsight, or deceptive?
When used with care, surprise becomes emotional glue—a moment of unexpected resonance your audience won’t forget.
Real-World Example
Spotify Wrapped succeeds because:
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It’s expected to be released, but the contents are unknown
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It offers personalized novelty—you see familiar songs reframed in unexpected ways
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The design, language, and shareability create a social surprise loop
It’s not loud. It’s smartly surprising.
Final Thought: Familiarity Gets Skimmed. Novelty Gets Noticed.
You don’t need to reinvent your brand every quarter.
But you do need to break predictability where it matters.
The psychology of surprise isn’t about tricks—it’s about respecting how the human brain works.
Stand out, don’t shout.
Surprise your audience with something they didn’t expect…
And something they’ll want to remember.
References
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Teixeira, T., Wedel, M., & Pieters, R. (2012). Emotion-induced engagement in internet video advertisements. Journal of Marketing Research, 49(2), 144–159.
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Wittmann, B. C., Schott, B. H., Guderian, S., Frey, J. U., Heinze, H. J., & Düzel, E. (2007). Reward-related fMRI activation of dopaminergic midbrain is associated with enhanced hippocampus-dependent long-term memory formation. Neuron, 45(3), 459–467.
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Marketing Science Institute. (2016). Surprise in advertising: When it works and when it backfires. Retrieved from https://www.msi.org