Unbeknownst to the now deceased Loewy, this insight has since been validated by a fleet of studies in the last hundred years. It’s been used to explain earworms in pop music, blockbusters in movie theaters, and even the success of memes in digital media. It is not merely the feeling that something is familiar. It is one step beyond that. It is something new, challenging, or surprising that opens a door into a feeling of comfort, meaning, or familiarity. It is called an aesthetic aha.
