When we dream to the moment we open our eyes, imagery is everywhere. It’s on the wallpaper in our bedrooms, the label on our coffee and the signage on our way to work. Imagery doesn’t only bring colour and beauty to our daily lives, but it guides and helps us to learn.
Visual learning is a very important way for people to absorb and recall information. As visual creatures, the use of photos, illustrations, icons, symbols, sketches, infographics, signage and video help to greatly increase our information comprehension and retention. It’s why you always hear “People buy with their eyes”. The brain processes visual information 60,000 faster than text.¹ Think of one of your favourite brands. Do you picture their logo or an ad you’ve seen?
While text is often used to support imagery, it is not always necessary. In prehistoric times before written language, pictures and symbols were etched on cave walls to record events. This information can still be understood millions of years later. That’s because right from birth, most humans understand the world around them through imagery. Recently, popular brands have tested the power of visuals, by dropping their name from their logos. Brands such as Starbucks, McDonalds, MasterCard, Nike and Apple have achieved iconic status by being identifiable purely by visual symbols. A brand must be highly recognizable to successfully drop their name, but the fact numerous brands have made this leap just solidifies that text is secondary to imagery.
We at LTRCorp. understand the importance of imagery and apply that knowledge to every project. Recently, we created marketing materials for the Upper Canada District School Board International Education Program. The international program allows students from China, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and other countries to get a world-class education and instruction in English as a second language, in one of the most beautiful and unique places in Canada. The global competition to enlist foreign students is formidable and our work, available both online and in print, will give the Upper Canada District School Board International Education Program a unique marketing advantage. These materials will be viewed in many cases, far away from Canada by people with less than perfect English skills. We created warm and highly visual materials to simplify and effectively communicate in every language. In a COVID-19 world, it’s much harder to visit a location and see (in this case) if the UCDSB and eastern Ontario are right for your child’s trip abroad for a Canadian school experience. Our work in print and web, using purpose shot imagery and design, alongside actual student testimonials and guidance, make the case. This would not have been possible without the use of imagery.
In another example, we recently rebranded the Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust with a new identity. They will always have that official name but what they do is “4ever” and the visual we created will help them communicate far more powerfully and one day … maybe even drop the name!
Can you imagine a world without imagery? I bet you can’t. And that is the power of visuals.
¹ 3M Corporation, 2001
² Learning Through Visuals, Haig Kouyoumdjian Ph.D., Jul 20, 2012.
³ What’s in a name: Why iconic brands are dropping names for logos, BestMediaInfo Bureau, January 14, 2019.
