Businesses And Visual Storytelling

In today's society, image is a very important factor in attracting individuals to what you are trying to say and/or portray. Sarah Lawrence speaks on "The Power Of Visual Storytelling" and how content marketing is vastly more effective when images and/or videos are added:

Brands that use visual content have found that it encourages greater engagement with their target markets. Visual storytelling is something that goes back to "caveman days," says Lawrence. It helps to tell "stories" or what point you are trying to make quickly by adding an impact and emotion. Business must make sure to use the right visuals for them. When the visual is powerful, the effect is magnified.

Powerful visuals + evoke emotions = Deeper engagement

Powerful visuals evoke emotions, driving a deeper engagement and more profound change in behavior. So what makes the visuals powerful, causing an emotional reaction and encourages a deeper level of engagement that a content marketer needs to be successful?

Four factors that make a powerful visual:

Authenticity

Consumers want to believe that the people they are seeing are real. An example would be the realness of Jennifer Lawrence, star actress in the Hunger Games, versus old-Hollywood look and feel of Anne Hathaway. 

Cultural Relevancy

Diversity and inclusiveness are issues that are very culturally relevant today. Cheerios are willing to accept negative reactions to achieve a deeper emotional connection. They made a commercial of a positive, authentic view of mixed-race families. This risk was worth it when you create a relationship with the consumer. 

Sensory Currency

This is beginning to be a very strong trend. As technology takes over, we have seen a desire for things that are 'real' like human contact and hands-on activities. This trend combines nostalgia and a new appreciation for traditional skills, and seeing handmade products re-establishes the connection between maker and consumer

Classic Storytelling Archetypes

Archetypes are classic characters that have been used used to tell stories for hundreds of years. Examples are The Hunger Games or Disney's Brave. There is also the caregiver. 

I agree with Ms. Sarah Lawrence in that authenticity, cultural relevancy, sensory currency, and classic storytelling archetypes are four very important keys that lead to successful visual storytelling for any business. It is much easier to evoke emotion of consumers by allowing them to see what you are trying to tell them. This next business is a perfect example of a successful business using visual storytelling. 

NIKE
is a popular brand known by most, if not all, athletes around the world. Nike is a prime example of a successful business that uses visual storytelling to attract their customers by visuals that motivate them to want to use their products, and it works. They have designed a very interesting and compelling website with images of professional athletes performing their sport while wearing the Nike brand, website advertisements, and commercials. Here is just one of many advertisements that Nike has developed:

Personally, I have always admired Nike and their way of advertising their brand. They relate their commercials to athletes as well as aspiring athletes that want to pursue a healthier lifestyle. They are not close-minded to any certain sport and any one kind of individual, but they have a very large target market. I believe their visual storytelling captures a very positive mission statement that represent exactly what Nike is trying to offer their customers.