"A picture is worth a thousand words". How many times have we come across this sentence? A pivotal expression of visual art and from which marketing draws inspiration under different aspects to align itself with a communication that is first of all functional.
Let's start with a fundamental concept: our brain processes visual information in the 90%.
Making a marketing strategy effective is a process that involves many (and different) forms and actions. Among these, to play an increasingly important role, there are certainly all the techniques used that converge in the concept of Visual Content Marketing: the ability to communicate information through images and illustrations conveying a message, arousing empathy, stimulating interaction.
To offer an important contribution are above all the illustrations which in recent years have really represented one more weapon to build one brand identity solid, innovative but above all functional, often as opposed to real stock images: more static and less adaptable to the content.
Although even the text, moreover, still represents one of the most important elements in content marketing, we cannot fail to take into account that we live in a visual reality, where images, videos and, indeed, illustrations capture the attention much faster than a block of, for example, 2000 words can.
The value of illustrations in building the Brand Identity
Our mind is capable of processing visual content 60,000 times faster than text. A very important data to support all the strategies necessary to build one brand experience effective, which responds to the needs of communicating a message and knowing how to convey it: giving it shape, meaning, tying it to the most important values that the brand wants to convey.
The brand and the public no longer communicate as before: both are overloaded with information and burdened with extraneous messages. We no longer have the time - or the motivation - to read for a long time. Audiences demand attention-grabbing visual content that quickly guides them to action, whether it's learning about a brand or service, or making a purchase.
Visual communication complements the growing need of modern audiences for get key information as efficiently as possible, and then move on. Through static designs, motion graphics, interactive content, visual reporting, and more, visual content marketing can now speak to a greater impact of the written word.
The ultimate goal is to improve two key elements of any communication strategy, such as the language and the consistency.
Illustrations help enrich and enhance a visual language to make it more intuitive and convincing, which it helps to connect user and brand as quickly as possible than any other means. Increasing the trust of what is transmitted through language is necessary to build a coherent brand identity action, which is captivating but at the same time familiar to the user.
The areas of penetration of illustrations in visual content marketing
In digital the role of illustrations has assumed an ever greater weight. There are several and wide areas of the web through which we can come across examples of illustrations in relation to visual content marketing: in the header of a website's homepage and landing page, in onboarding tooltips, in storytelling operations, infographics, images highlighted on blog articles, display advertising banners, social networks, email marketing newsletters, up to apps, to bots and icons for system notifications.
The illustrations touch practically all the interactive areas that digital offers us through pc and smartphone every day: omnipresent and essential.
Recognize quality visual content
The functional aspect of quality illustrations in visual content marketing must respond to certain characteristics and indisputable key points.
In fact, it is necessary that first of all thebrand identity. Illustrations must know create a connection with the latter thus highlighting the contours of the reference target. For this to happen, the visual content must be recognizable, even without necessarily having to use the logo.
The effectiveness of the illustration, in this sense, must be able to arouse emotions and especially interaction. It is necessary to establish well the characteristics of the target audience to understand on which points to leverage.
Of primary importance is the ability to be synthetic, from get straight to the point. Attention to quality visual content must be able to capture attention in a short time. Illustrations that are too descriptive risk appearing not very immediate.
Improper or low quality visual communication can damage the brand.
Users have a keen eye. They are overwhelmed with content every day, quality is essential to gaining their attention.
Friend of Nature: an example of illustration to support the brand identity
In Question Mark we have fully embraced the dictates of brand identity for the use of illustrations to support effective communication. The reference case study is the work our creative team did for the campaign Friend of Nature from FRoSTA: we have rationalized within the landing page created on the institutional website through the use of illustrations, thecommitment to sustainability of the client in a project in collaboration with Legambiente.
The fundamental guidelines that inspired our work were the values on which the customer bases his business philosophy: respect for nature, protection of the environment, sustainability, circular economy, biodiversity, use of natural ingredients. The campaign engaged our creative team to emphasize these dictates through the use of capable illustrations arouse empathy at the same time sensitivity, involving users in the brand experience launched by FRoSTA with Amica della Natura.
The eye doesn't just want its part. He is the most difficult customer to please. Our commitment is to keep our hands still and guide the head more on the monitor than on the keyboard.
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