Presented by Simon Dunn, as part of the NewMR 'Presenting and Reporting' webinar. We’ve all heard the saying ‘A picture is worth a thousand words’, and for good reason! A great story needs more than just words and numbers. In this age of ‘infobesity’, insight stories need engaging, startling and intriguing imagery to grab the audience’s attention and make the message stick with them. In this webinar, Simon Dunn, Creative Director, Keen as Mustard Marketing, explores how we can use visuals to help tell memorable and engaging stories. This presentation recording can be accessed NewMR.org/play-again.

1. Completing the picture: Why your
storytelling isn’t finished without Visual
Design and Metaphor
Simon Dunn
Keen as Mustard Marketing
September 2021

2. Sponsors
Communication

3. VISUAL DESIGN
AND METAPHOR
Simon Dunn

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The visual imperative

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But why do we get slides and charts that look like this?

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Researchers are
missing a trick!

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If we improve our visual
communication, we improve
the impact of our work

9. TIPS FOR IMPROVING
VISUAL COMMUNICATION

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Fieldwork and analysis
Project planning
Insight communication

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Understand the
audience at
the outset

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Creative brief
Project information
Written by Author of the brief
Date
Name of project
Client Company name
Client side liaison
Project decision makers
(if not the same as
above)
Deadline Delivery date
What should KaM
deliver?
Max 20-word description of the project - what is it? e.g. Visual identity
design for XX company, emailable infographic about new ways of
working study, or HTML Newsletter template for monthly mailings
Background
Project description
and background
Why are we doing this project? What brought it about and what is it for?
Why now?
About the client
For a new or unknown client; background about the client – boilerplate.
Ignore this if you are completing brief yourself or we have worked together
before.
Marketing/communication
objectives
What are the aims? What problem are we trying to solve?
Company values Please list
Company personality
What is your organisation like? What is the audience like? Describe
them in real terms as people – e.g. they are detail and data
oriented, or they are fast-moving and bore easily
The project
Target Audience/s
Internal stakeholders for the communication. There may be more than one
target. Describe/outline. If the audiences are different, say how.
Action
What do we want the audience/s to do as a result of the
communication?
Tone of voice
What do we want the communication to feel and sound like? Is it
emotional, or friendly, or intellectual and theoretic? This needs to fit
with the personality and culture of the audience/s.
Single overriding
message
What is the ONE over-riding message you want the audience to
remember? Ideally, think of what we want them to tell others about the
communication? The single most important thing. This could be an
overall message, an insight, or a really compelling finding. This applies
to all audiences.
Budget Overall budget including costs
Are there any
mandatories?
Anything the communication MUST include? Any technical
requirements or things we must know about which will have an impact
on the design or execution of the communication? If it to work in
different countries/languages, or across different software platforms, or
if certain images or formats are not possible.
What does ‘good’ look
like?
Share examples of other communications that are what you are looking for –
include links if possible.
Should not include/look
like?
Share examples of what you want to avoid (not absolutely necessary)
What we will need to
get the job done.
Cite logos, fonts, data, presentations, images or vox pops that KaM will need
to complete the project. These do not need to be attached but must be
supplied in order for us to do the work.
Creative brief sign off
Name
Mustard Marketing
SIGNATURE DATE
Name
Client company
SIGNATURE DATE
Sign off of the brief initiates the project.

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Use a metaphor

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Fame is a bee.
It has a song—
It has a sting—
Ah, too, it has a wing.
EMILY DICKINSON 1788

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What are you looking for?

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RULE
#2
Bee an expert
• Find your song
• Be authentic
• Focus on expertise

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RULE
#3
Bee evidence
-based
• Demonstrate significance
• Create evidence
• Be specific

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Animated Video Infographic Talking head
interviews
HTML Newsletter PPT Summaries
The email stood out in my inbox
Further information was easily
accessible
The look and feel of the email made
me want to read it
The subject line caught my attention
Easy to understand
The topics were of interest to me
Didn't take too much time to read
Mix it up!

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Newsletter

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Infographic

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Animated videos

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Video interviews

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Visual is crucial and must not
be an afterthought.

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Give it time.

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Know your audience.

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Use a creative brief.

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Use a metaphor
- if appropriate.

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Mix it up!

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KEEN AS MUSTARD MARKETING LTD
www.mustardmarketing.com info@mustardmarketing.com
Registered in England & Wales number: 06002176 VAT registration number: 893 7878 42
Registered office: 1st Floor, 21 Victoria Road, Surbiton, Surrey, United Kingdom, KT6 4JZ
GET SOME MUSTARD.

31. Q & A
Ray Poynter
Potentiate &
NewMR
Simon Dunn
Keen as Mustard Marketing

32. Sponsors
Communication