Very often we see huge media and ad campaigns thriving on a very subtle message delivered through strong phrases or graphics.
While this becomes relevant in product based advertising, I really think whether it can be somehow done away in a service/technology based campaign. I somehow harbor the notion that deep inside every person is a thirst for knowing what he’s using, and when it comes to internet/collaborative tools/ new applications, it becomes important for him to realize the importance and to know what happens behind the scenes when he clicks on a tab.
Visual communication holds a very crucial key [ amongst the other keys in use] to explain to the layman, what he’s about to use and how his life would get simpler. Google Chrome, when released, kick started a very subtle revolution of explaining the technology behind their browser. The comic book version by Scott McCloud was a hit amongst the techno-savvy, geeky public for whom a pictorial view for explanation was a pleasant surprise.
The only drawback which makes it a subtle revolution is the fact that Google did not materialize the tremendous impact that this comic would have had. A single link on the browser, asking the user to download Chrome and read the story behind it would have increased the power of this explanation.
Visual communications have the power to educate, if used correctly. More on the power of visual communications soon.
Tags: advertising, campaigns, Chrome, Communication, educate, explanation, Google, McCloud, media, subtle, subtlety, visual, visual+communication
I really appreciate your method of showing the real value of what you aim to do by giving an example of “Pictualization” that has been done for publicity already. i would only like to mention that I believe their comic did reach as huge an impact as they could cause this offbeat approach not only drew crowds eager to know about Google’s brand new venture, but also enraptured people who got their hands on the browser, as the initial home page did guide one to the comic and numerous videos which showed the story behind Chrome, and its various features. I just meant to correct the last line, that Google did think far enough to make the first time user reach the visual explanation of the browser, and got to know how the browser they were using, actually worked.