Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling

INTRODUCTION

The world around us is changing. The Information Age has fundamentally changed the way we think and communicate. We are now a culture that thrives on learning and sharing—much of this is facilitated by the increasing ubiquity of social media. This influx of information needs to be consumed and processed, which requires new methods of communication. Infographics, in many different forms, are at the forefront of this new way of thinking. The visualization of information is enabling us to gain insight and understanding quickly and efficiently, utilizing the incredible processing power of the human visual system. Accessing and harnessing this power is not only valuable, but necessary, as we navigate the vast amounts of data presented to us daily.

This is an especially prevalent need in the business world. Consumers are increasingly cynical with regard to advertising and marketing efforts, an attitude which borders on callous. In order to communicate their messages, brands must appeal to consumers in a new way. Hard-sell advertisements are no longer effective. Brands now need to provide a unique value to their audiences, beyond the propositions of their products and services. This value comes in the form of information presentation. In order to build and engage an audience, an increasing number of companies are finding success in taking cues from publishers—presenting purely editorial content with the aim of informing and entertaining readers. How do infographics fit into ...