It's a Mad, Mad, Visual World...

A picture is worth a thousand words… or so the saying goes. Images swirl around us in an endless dance of information. Images transcend culture, language and connect people in emotional ways.

Today’s world is increasingly visual – Internet bandwidth is still increasing around the world according to Akamai and that allows us to find, render and consume images, infographics, videos and other visual information faster than ever before. Technology allows us to experience the world rapidly, visually and intensely, making writing by default shorter and more to the point.

And once we find interesting information, we want to share it and share our experience with it. Sharing information can be done globally by anyone, anywhere. Per eMarketer, smartphone’s are used by over a quarter of the world’s population and 42% of all mobile phone owners. More and more people are going online via a phone and are using the built-in camera to take photos or videos to share. The entire selfie craze could be attributed to the prominence and improved affordability of smartphones. Selfies are now giving way, with the rise of such apps as Periscope and Dubsmash, to the velfie or video-selfie craze. Check out how this trend has taken off in India – it is fascinating.

Images have value and allow us to communicate rapidly. According to MIT, you can process an image in as fast as 13 milliseconds. And your brain continues to seek context and process information after the image flashes by. Imagery whether moving or still, allows us to create an instantaneous emotional connection in ways the written word cannot. For a CMO, images can help build a brand and can transcend geographies to improve awareness and preference for your brand. Short text or a key word within an image can convey meaning rapidly. Video creates immediate, lively, action-based connection with your audience. The opportunities seem endless. Ideally, you would mix a variety of formats and channels based on your audiences’ preferences.

But how do you know which formats of visual communication and which channels to use? Innovation is very rapid in this space so how does one even try to keep up? Frankly the best way to find the right formats and channels for your brand is to pilot and fail-fast or scale-fast. Real data based on the brand experiences you try in the market are your most valuable source. Facts about the impact of visual components in marketing are everywhere so now is the time to try it out for your brand; add visuals to expected and unexpected places and see what happens.

Along with experimentation, looking for articles (written or video) with mini case studies that may help you round out an idea; tweak something you already tried to drive greater success; or spark an idea for a new pilot. You may also come across brands to follow for inspiration in your own marketing. Yes, this is classic advice, but it works in this case as well.

Take a moment and imagine the future of your brand… imagine what delighted customers experience with your company… your mind creates images for you not a paragraph of words. THAT is the power of visual storytelling and a huge opportunity for CMOs.

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