The PR profession must embrace visual storytelling. How’s that for a declarative sentence that leaves nothing to interpretation? We’ve discussed visual elements ranging from infographics to video to illustrations. It’s now time to turn our attention to the humble GIF (graphics interchange format), perfect for short-form storytelling. If GIFs are good enough for BuzzFeed, which …more
We continue to experiment with all forms of visual storytelling. Anyone can point and click a camera. Thanks to the numerous make-me-better tools, amateurs can doctor a photo into something “watchable.” Not so with the illustration. Only legit expertise can create a professional-grade illustration, but the reward comes in a fresh communications asset. Any time …more
Since Businessweek retooled its “look and feel” under Richard Turley, visual storytelling has gained greater prominence. It’s revealing to revisit a comment Turley made to BusinessInsider a couple years ago: “One of the things I wanted to do was to have a magazine which you could graze.” Before going further, it’s worth stepping back to …more
Most communicators have little or no background in visual storytelling. Areas such as graphic design, videography and typography just don’t show up in a typical mass comms college curriculum. While hiring talent from the design side is one way to accelerate expertise in visual storytelling – and we’ve done this – it’s important that all …more
The grab bag returns after a month in exile. Three quick takes on the intersection of storytelling, digital and communications. To SEO or Not SEO in the Headline Actually, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. We can learn from media properties like Business Insider that have mastered the art of headline eye …more
Thanks to my participation in the PR Newswire session on visual storytelling, the topic has kept top of mind and prompted a post on sources to inspire visual storytelling. You know how when you buy a new car, the following week it seems like every time you come to a stoplight and look left, you …more
One of the best parts of a 12-hour overseas flight is catching up on the stack of magazines that have accumulated on my night stand. The March 28 issue of Businessweek carried the story, “Li Huabo, Corrupt Chinese Bureaucrat or Fall Guy?” It’s the type of business storytelling that I suspect we’ll be reading more …more
After talking at the PR Newswire event on visual storytelling, it occurred to me that I missed the obvious. People gravitate to the PR profession for two reasons, they like to write or they like to interact with others. In either case, the visual part of communications is an afterthought at best. They perceive areas …more
Rem Rieder from American Journalism Review penned a viewpoint in USA Today last week that criticized President Obama for cutting down access to journalists. The supporting proof points highlighted by Rieder: Short Q&A sessions have always served as a forum for the President to weigh in on timely issues. George W. Bush, who wasn’t exactly …more
