6 campaigns that effectively tell a visual story

Dubai, United Arab Emiates, GSK, Wunderman
Bangkok, Thailand, Sea You Tomorrow/COVID-19 Public Interest, Columbus Agency
Santiago, Chile, Nexcre, Grupo CP
Cairo, Egypt, Novartis, Intermark
Quebec, Canada, Nasacort, Taxi
Israel, Procto-eze, Addict

Stephanie Murin, chief creative officer, Artcraft Health

If you’re a bit stir crazy from quarantine and travel bans, this is dedicated to you. Let’s travel around the world to appreciate some visually engaging work that demonstrates how effective a graphic story can be — with few words. We’ll look at the use of telegraphic and metaphorical ads to engage the audience, and deliver a meaningful message. In the world of healthcare, we all know our message has to be absolutely clear, so this is not necessarily an easy task. See if you can understand the story each ad is trying to communicate. Did they pull it off? I’ve rated them by how many seconds it took me to get it.

Dubai, United Arab Emiates, GSK, Wunderman

My narrative? Popping a pill triggers a pinball effect that bounces around your body until it gets where it’s going. Clearly they have a faster path to relief. Perhaps if the bottle sprayed, I would’ve put it together a millisecond faster, but overall, an illustrative, visual story that effectively engaged me. Time to get it: 4 seconds

Bangkok, Thailand, Sea You Tomorrow/COVID-19 Public Interest, Columbus Agency

Am I supposed to feel “eww” when I see this, because I kind of do? After the initial unrest, I see it for what it is: somebody’s used mask washed up on the beach. It was carelessly tossed and could be carrying the coronavirus. Yep, eww. An arresting, but powerful, visual story that took mere moments to process. Time to get it: 5 seconds

Santiago, Chile, Nexcre, Grupo CP

This is the epitome of a metaphorical ad — barbed wire shoes. If you’ve ever worn bad heels to a wedding, this is what it feels like. Clearly they can help, no words necessary. In fact, I’m sold — I’m headed right to Amazon. Time to get it: 1 second

Cairo, Egypt, Novartis, Intermark

Immediately, I see a heart — wait, a rusty engine that’s overworked and breaking down. This requires immediate attention or this engine is shutting down for good. This was an instantaneous message and a well-executed story. This message about heart failure is a reminder to take care of yours. Time to get it: 4 seconds

Quebec, Canada, Nasacort, Taxi

This is what half the parents look like at Little League games –– overwhelmed by grass allergies. This agency did a great job of building empathy by delivering a fast and effective visual metaphor. This is a competitive category and you really do need to stand out and make a quick connection with consumers. Time to get it: 1 second

Israel, Procto-eze, Addict

The top half appears collected, but she’s not fooling anyone––she’s uncomfortable, and it’s not just the baby bump. Yes, pregnant ladies commonly develop hemorrhoids, and this is an incredibly quick way to say that the brand can help her with her little problem. Bravo. Time to get it: 1 second

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6 campaigns that effectively tell a visual story

Stephanie Murin, chief creative officer, Artcraft Health

Slideshow

Dubai, United Arab Emiates, GSK, Wunderman
Bangkok, Thailand, Sea You Tomorrow/COVID-19 Public Interest, Columbus Agency
Santiago, Chile, Nexcre, Grupo CP
Cairo, Egypt, Novartis, Intermark
Quebec, Canada, Nasacort, Taxi
Israel, Procto-eze, Addict

Stephanie Murin, chief creative officer, Artcraft Health

If you’re a bit stir crazy from quarantine and travel bans, this is dedicated to you. Let’s travel around the world to appreciate some visually engaging work that demonstrates how effective a graphic story can be — with few words. We’ll look at the use of telegraphic and metaphorical ads to engage the audience, and deliver a meaningful message. In the world of healthcare, we all know our message has to be absolutely clear, so this is not necessarily an easy task. See if you can understand the story each ad is trying to communicate. Did they pull it off? I’ve rated them by how many seconds it took me to get it.

Dubai, United Arab Emiates, GSK, Wunderman

My narrative? Popping a pill triggers a pinball effect that bounces around your body until it gets where it’s going. Clearly they have a faster path to relief. Perhaps if the bottle sprayed, I would’ve put it together a millisecond faster, but overall, an illustrative, visual story that effectively engaged me. Time to get it: 4 seconds

Bangkok, Thailand, Sea You Tomorrow/COVID-19 Public Interest, Columbus Agency

Am I supposed to feel “eww” when I see this, because I kind of do? After the initial unrest, I see it for what it is: somebody’s used mask washed up on the beach. It was carelessly tossed and could be carrying the coronavirus. Yep, eww. An arresting, but powerful, visual story that took mere moments to process. Time to get it: 5 seconds

Santiago, Chile, Nexcre, Grupo CP

This is the epitome of a metaphorical ad — barbed wire shoes. If you’ve ever worn bad heels to a wedding, this is what it feels like. Clearly they can help, no words necessary. In fact, I’m sold — I’m headed right to Amazon. Time to get it: 1 second

Cairo, Egypt, Novartis, Intermark

Immediately, I see a heart — wait, a rusty engine that’s overworked and breaking down. This requires immediate attention or this engine is shutting down for good. This was an instantaneous message and a well-executed story. This message about heart failure is a reminder to take care of yours. Time to get it: 4 seconds

Quebec, Canada, Nasacort, Taxi

This is what half the parents look like at Little League games –– overwhelmed by grass allergies. This agency did a great job of building empathy by delivering a fast and effective visual metaphor. This is a competitive category and you really do need to stand out and make a quick connection with consumers. Time to get it: 1 second

Israel, Procto-eze, Addict

The top half appears collected, but she’s not fooling anyone––she’s uncomfortable, and it’s not just the baby bump. Yes, pregnant ladies commonly develop hemorrhoids, and this is an incredibly quick way to say that the brand can help her with her little problem. Bravo. Time to get it: 1 second

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