Leverage Visual Content to Enhance Your Brand Story
Have you ever wondered why some brand stories captivate audiences while others fall flat? The secret often lies in the power of visual storytelling. Public relations teams are, at their core, corporate storytellers. They've long been the architects of messaging that best communicates a company's narrative. Yet, until recently, they've relied on other communications and marketing teams to develop the visual assets required for news releases and campaigns.
As visuals become an increasingly intrinsic part of storytelling, a new opportunity emerges for PR teams: to take a leading role in the creation of visual content. By getting involved earlier in the visual asset development process, PR professionals can ensure that visuals align seamlessly with messaging, enhancing the overall impact of the story.
In "Visual Storytelling: The New Best Practice for PR," top agency and corporate PR digital marketing specialists share their insights on leveraging visual content to tell compelling brand stories and how PR professionals can take the lead.
Featured Experts
Samara Finn Holland, Senior Vice President of Influencer Marketing at Kaplow Communications, is an integrated communications professional with over a decade of experience working with influencers. Samara develops integrated engagement strategies for clients looking to drive action and behavior change through compelling content and digital storytelling. Her expertise spans across all consumer categories including beauty, lifestyle, food, health, and wellness.
Samara Finn Holland, Senior Vice President of Influencer Marketing at Kaplow Communications, is an integrated communications professional with over a decade of experience working with influencers. Samara develops integrated engagement strategies for clients looking to drive action and behavior change through compelling content and digital storytelling. Her expertise spans across all consumer categories including beauty, lifestyle, food, health, and wellness.
Jane Maynard is the Digital Marketing Manager for Velodyne Lidar, Inc., where she integrates public relations with digital marketing efforts. Her responsibilities include managing website content, SEO strategy, social media implementation, internal and external communications, and brand management.
Before joining Velodyne, Jane spent over 15 years as a freelance graphic designer, writer, and photographer, serving clients from small businesses to large brands. She launched the popular food blog This Week for Dinner in 2007, which she continues to run. Her blogging experience includes co-founding a business connecting brands with influencers, editing for online publications, writing for sites like Disney's Babble and Cosmopolitan.com, producing a podcast, and developing recipes professionally. She started her career in corporate communications at Cricket Communications.
Jane Maynard is the Digital Marketing Manager for Velodyne Lidar, Inc., where she integrates public relations with digital marketing efforts. Her responsibilities include managing website content, SEO strategy, social media implementation, internal and external communications, and brand management.
Before joining Velodyne, Jane spent over 15 years as a freelance graphic designer, writer, and photographer, serving clients from small businesses to large brands. She launched the popular food blog This Week for Dinner in 2007, which she continues to run. Her blogging experience includes co-founding a business connecting brands with influencers, editing for online publications, writing for sites like Disney's Babble and Cosmopolitan.com, producing a podcast, and developing recipes professionally. She started her career in corporate communications at Cricket Communications.
Starla has nearly 20 years’ experience developing, managing and producing creative projects. At Edelman she leads the Seattle and Portland area Creative and Content Production Teams, which work across integrated accounts in technology, retail, consumer branding and social good. She first cut her production teeth in the early days of reality television and then moved into commercial production and eventually grew to run full agency creative teams. She has built and established integrated creative production practices from large firms such as Wunderman Thompson to small boutiques agencies working with brands like Volkswagen, Samsung, Levi’s, Microsoft, Savers, AT&T, PEMCO and others. A devoted mom, Starla is raising a blossoming artist, her daughter Sav, and the next generation’s great computer prodigy, her son Zander.
Starla has nearly 20 years’ experience developing, managing and producing creative projects. At Edelman she leads the Seattle and Portland area Creative and Content Production Teams, which work across integrated accounts in technology, retail, consumer branding and social good. She first cut her production teeth in the early days of reality television and then moved into commercial production and eventually grew to run full agency creative teams. She has built and established integrated creative production practices from large firms such as Wunderman Thompson to small boutiques agencies working with brands like Volkswagen, Samsung, Levi’s, Microsoft, Savers, AT&T, PEMCO and others. A devoted mom, Starla is raising a blossoming artist, her daughter Sav, and the next generation’s great computer prodigy, her son Zander.
Five Key Insights to Elevate Your PR with Visual Storytelling
1. Integrate Visuals Early in the Planning Process
Why wait until the messaging is finalized to think about visuals? By incorporating visual planning from the outset, PR teams can create more cohesive and impactful campaigns. Early involvement ensures that visuals are not just an afterthought but a strategic element that enhances the narrative.
2. Understand the Power of Visuals in Storytelling
Did you know that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text? Visuals can convey emotions, concepts, and information more effectively than words alone. By harnessing this power, PR professionals can create stories that resonate more deeply with their audiences.
3. Collaborate Across Departments for Consistent Branding
Are your visuals and messaging telling the same story? Breaking down silos between PR, marketing, and design teams leads to a unified brand message. Collaboration ensures that visual and textual elements reinforce each other, providing a consistent and compelling story across all channels.
4. Leverage Emerging Visual Platforms and Technologies
Are you making the most of the latest visual platforms and technologies? From social media stories to interactive infographics and virtual reality experiences, staying abreast of new tools allows PR teams to engage audiences in innovative ways.
5. Measure the Impact of Visual Content
How do you know if your visual storytelling is effective? Implementing metrics and analytics helps PR professionals understand engagement levels, audience reach, and overall impact, allowing for continuous improvement and refinement of strategies.
By embracing these insights, PR teams can transition from being just the crafters of messages to becoming the architects of powerful visual stories. It's time for PR professionals to step forward and own the visual conversation, ensuring that every element of the story—from words to images—works together to captivate and inspire audiences.
Ready to Lead the Visual Narrative?
Dive deeper into the strategies and expert advice in "Visual Storytelling: The New Best Practice for PR" and discover how you can transform your PR campaigns through the power of visuals.
