This sign says: In this location, near this symbol or in the direction of an accompanying arrow, this place of business has two different rooms for people to use the restroom, one is for women and one is for men.
Not a single word. We all collectively understand what it means.
This is visual communication. Visual communication graphically represents information to efficiently and effectively create meaning.
Research teaches us that visual communications increase message comprehension by 89%. That’s easy to see here. If a company asked everyone to read the paragraph above to understand that there were restrooms available, they’d get through to about 11% of the people.
In the last few years, marketing firms and departments within companies have focused as much as 85% of their campaigns on these visual communications - impactful images that don’t require words to make the message.
That’s not to say text is dead. It isn’t. But “Just Do It” isn’t asking us to read a lot. Limited text is used to clearly state the meaning. Visual communication is about letting the visuals tell the story first, with the text only being necessary at a bare minimum for clarification or to emphasize importance.
While we all know what a red hexagon sign means, we never see it without the word “Stop” in the center of it. This single word emphasizes the importance. But text should never be the vehicle of the meaning. The visual should carry the meaning. Good visual communication tells your story without words.
That’s not to say text is dead. It isn’t. But “Just Do It” isn’t asking us to read a lot. Limited text is used to clearly state the meaning. Visual communication is about letting the visuals tell the story first, with the text only being necessary at a bare minimum for clarification or to emphasize the importance.
All day long we’re inundated with images that tell us stories and convey information to us without words. We get help, interpret danger, shop, etc., all at the direction of incredibly simple visual images. We need to continue that simplicity in our marketing campaigns, our logo designs, our branding, our messaging. This is apparent now more than ever with the current pandemic. How haven't seen the safety recommendations.
Visual communication is a combination of art and skill. It requires education and experience to learn how to simplify to the iconic level. In your marketing campaign, partner with an experienced and talented designer to help you cut to the visual core of your customer message. Say it with words and it’s lost on your customer. Say it with an iconic well-designed visual and it will never be forgotten.