The question presented is not whether it makes a stylistic difference visible to those in-the-know but rather whether it makes a motivational difference visible in the actions of the mud-people. Those are two very different questions.
Our marketing department swore by bad design. Not just simple, accessible. Intentionally bad. They believed it grabbed more attention, and that their customers felt safe/found them more trustworthy.
When we tried out more polished marketing we had measurably fewer responses.
Not the same thing.
I would be interested in a simulation based on big data or whatever, but I am passionate about typography as art.