This blog has been discontinued. Visit our suped-up version at http://www.holycowdigital.co.za

Formed in 2003, HolyCow is a full service visual communications agency that brings business ideas to life using a combination of animation, motion graphics and video. Whether the business objective is to get customers buying or employees inspired,we translate information into meaningful visuals that engages and persuades audiences.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Exciting times in the visual communications industry - Published in BizCommunity, 24 January 2011

With the power of visual communication becoming increasingly acknowledged, its scope is getting broader every day. Here are the 11 trends that I believe will have the most significant impact on the industry in 2011.

1. Life after death by PowerPoint

As presentation technology becomes more sophisticated, audiences will come to expect high end, flashy presentations that utilise the full functionality of what today’s presentation programmes have to offer. Microsoft’s latest version of PowerPoint, for example, brings huge advances in video and animation capability which means the programme has more to offer than ever before. We’ll also see an uptake in the use of Prezi, a web-based, flash presentation tool that uses a single canvas instead of the traditional slide show as its mechanism and allows presenters to interact with their content.

2. Social media goes visual

Video and photo content will be the focus of social media platforms in 2011. YouTube is already the second most popular search engine after Google, and as far as searches go, posts with visual content most often feature at the top. It’s inevitable then that social marketers will use visuals as their prime bait in 2011.

3. Not lost in translation

With communicators taking heed of the multilingual dynamics that exist in many business environments, they will acknowledge the need to present their ideas in a universal medium. To ensure messages don’t get lost in translation, communicators will increasingly use visual means such as images to convey their message.

4. Smart videos

No longer will viewers be restricted to just watching visual material. Expect to see more online content where viewers can interact with the video and have a say in the outcome. It is this capability that will make interactive smart videos a hot viral marketing success in 2011.

5. Internal communication goes visual

Due to its ability to engage stakeholders in ways that other forms of communication cannot, visual communication will infiltrate further into the internal areas of business that were traditionally kept on paper. The use of visuals to engage staff in induction programmes, for example, will become more pervasive. We can also expect to see more visuals in high stakes scenarios, such as the launch of new projects or big board meetings, where employee and shareholder buy-in is key.

6. Simplicity

Just as consumers are seeking refuge in simplified design, so too are companies looking to unclutter their visual communication. Design across all forms of visual communication will revert to its core design principles – clean lines, use of negative space, appropriate use of imagery and colour, and no unnecessary decoration.

7. Instant gratification information

Here we see another extension of our personal lives into the business environment. People don’t want to spend time interpreting information. They want to understand now so that they can act immediately, if necessary. So, expect to see more text being replaced by appropriate imagery – because images require much less processing than text, helping audiences quickly digest and understand content.

8. The Creative Corporation

After years of economic pressure, consumers need some levity and will be looking for a sense of fun in their lives. This requirement will extend into their work as well. To satisfy this need, companies must inject creativity into their day-to-activities, especially in communication. As a result, we’ll see visuals being used daringly to grab attention and get employees talking and then acting.

9. Animation on the rise

If a picture’s worth a thousand words, what’s a moving picture worth? Animation will be used increasingly to bring information to life, especially in industries like IT where animation makes invisible concepts like Cloud Computing more tangible.

10. Visual stories

Visuals will be used to do more than just convey information. In 2011, visual storytelling will start to surface as communicators recognise the need to engage audiences.

Infographics was a big trend in 2010 and this year we can expect to see even more raw data being converted into powerful stories. Rather than just impart statistics, mediums like infographics will be used to make these statistics meaningful.

11. Email video

2010 did not deliver the much anticipated technology that would allow email to play videos seamlessly within the body of an email. If this happens in 2011, the realm of visual communication will enter a new era.


Friday, January 14, 2011

In the Moment

Happy New Year, everyone! I know we’re already half way through January but my work year has only just begun. Where traditionally in previous years I would have been in full swing by now thanks to anywhere-anytime online connectivity on holiday, this year, I made it my resolution to be more present and to connect with the moment. That means be on holiday when I’m on holiday and cherish every moment of family, laughter, good food and sunshine.

This focus on connecting in the moment in my personal life and the personal change I’ve already seen, got me thinking about the potential rewards and positive change this connection brings in the business environment as well.

I’d like this blog to become a place of sharing information around that connection and I invite you to participate in the conversation, regardless of what medium of connecting and engaging you are passionate about.

My passion in business is the effective use of visuals to create this connection. In today’s environment it is imperative we engage with our audience if the intention is to get them onboard, and, that’s not going to happen with the majority of communication that is delivered in business today.

In fact, in general, when subjected to most business communication, audiences yawn and remain unmoved. This is certainly not going to get customers buying. Yet, when communication such as a presentation, is developed and delivered well through the appropriate use of visuals, it has the ability to engage and transform audiences beyond any other form of communication. That’s what gets me ticking.

Consider for example, how Al Gore’s presentation connected with his audience in that moment to such an extent that he changed perceptions around climate change. Incredible. I’d like to see more of that, and I believe in 2011 we will.

I hope in 2011 you enjoy success and happiness. I also hope it’s a year that as business people, we engage more, with the moment and with each other.

Here’s to giving it horns in every flickering 2011 moment.