8:52Why Are Things Creepy?
Save referenceExpectation Violation
A teddy bear should be the safest object in the world. Give it human teeth and your skin crawls before you know why. The image does not describe creepiness, it causes it. The title then offers to explain the feeling you are already having.
Title
The title promises the science behind the shiver the image just gave you.
Thumbnail
A cuddly bear with real human teeth makes the viewer feel the topic instantly.
When your video explains a feeling, make the thumbnail trigger that feeling instead of naming it. One familiar thing with one wrong detail beats any label you could place on it.
Cause the feeling in the image, explain it in the video.
Turn the lesson into a decision
Apply this pattern to your next video.
Bring the reference into a packaging brief, then decide what your title and thumbnail should each communicate.