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Starting a complete rebrand? Have you ever considered using creative illustration? Nowadays, many people automatically choose stock graphics (because they think it's cheaper) but they don't consider the benefits of illustration in their rebrand. In fact, there are many reasons why you should consider creative illustration for your next rebrand.
1. Engages With Younger Audiences
Illustration is a fantastic way of engaging with children. Why? Just think about their favourite television programmes - most of them are animated. Illustrated characters and settings are entertaining and capture your attention. The average attention span for children aged around 5 or 6 is about 10 to 15 minutes. Short, bright, and energised animation is very effective at keeping a child's attention.
Check out this animation we created for Doncaster Council, and see how we used animation to help improve attendance in over 100 schools!
If you're marketing towards a younger audience, then you should consider creative illustration as part of your rebrand. It can be used as an effective means of teaching and engaging with youngsters.
2. But Honestly, Illustration Engages With Everyone
When it comes to illustration, people automatically think it's a design style that's only for schools and other educational establishments. A common misconception is that illustration is only used for young audiences.
The truth is, we were all children once, and animation still engages with us all on an emotional level. Think about all the Disney fairytale films you've watched growing up, or maybe the childhood programmes you religiously watched like Spot the Dog, Rugrats, Spongebob Squarepants, The Flintstones, The Jetsons - There are so many.
For example, look at the work we did for GOV.UK (above), using illustration and animation to get employers and employees interested in National Occupational Standards. We used characters that would be relatable to the target audience, and our animation went down a storm with GOV.UK audience (we're even up for an award for this animation!).
The evidence is right there - having illustrations on your website will help you to stand out from the competition and, when it's done right, it's versatile and can connect with many different people of all ages.
3. Bespoke Design
One of the biggest benefits of creative illustration is that it's bespoke. So often, many businesses use stock photos and templates when designing their website and branding. Of course, there are pros and cons for both stock graphics and illustration, but I bet that if you look at some of your competitors, most of them will look the same in regards to their website design and the photographs they use.
Illustration gives you the opportunity to be original and for you to give your business its own unique voice. That's exactly what you want to achieve with a rebrand. Nobody wants to redesign their company to look like everybody else.
4. Reflects Your Company Better Than A Photograph Can
Even if you hire the best photographer in the country, a photograph can be limiting on what kind of message you want to convey. It can also be troublesome and time consuming for a photographer too, who may need to take two hundred pictures before they get the right one.
With illustration, you can convey the exact message you want. During the drawing process, characters and pictures can be drawn to your requested specifications. Creative illustrated images can directly reflect your brand and services too.
We don't use templates - we create characters from scratch so each and every character is always unique. This means you'll never see any of your competitors having the same characters.
5. Illustration Can Be Easily Updated
One of the pains of having a rebrand online is that you know in the future you're going to have to go through it all again. Website designs have to be updated every few years and this can be costly.
Another benefit of illustrations is that they can be easily adapted and updated. Illustration arguably ages slower than many other types of designs (which is a major pro) and when it's time for an update, an experienced illustrator can simply update your illustrations. This means you don't need to overspend on brand new character designs, as your illustrated characters will only need an upgrade.
6. So Many Possibilities
One of the reasons that people love illustration is the fact that there are so many possibilities. You're not restricted by limitations. With photography, you can only take pictures of what is actually in front of you. In illustration, you have the power to create something unique and from your own imagination.
This is why illustration is so popular for education. Characters can be used to educate students and teach valuable messages. Photos can struggle to achieve that. Illustration gives you the chance to step outside the box, be creative and really stand out compared to your competition.
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