7 brilliant examples of how brands are using illustrations in their marketing
Today, illustrations are mostly created through digital means and can be static or animated. These unique visuals can simplify complex text, guide readers through a page, pull their eye to important content, and convey a brand’s personality.
How to use illustrations in your marketing / youtube/Uber Eats
Illustrations in advertising were big business in the 1950’s. In fact, most adverts were illustrations of deliriously happy people hawking products. They were certainly on to something, although not to today’s high-tech, visual standards. Thankfully, illustrations in marketing have made a big comeback as a clever way to communicate a brand's message. Whether that is on websites, ads or social media channels, illustrative graphics are reaching customers on a different, more light-hearted level.
Many brands have already hit the nail on the head with their branding artwork. Here are some great examples of putting illustrative graphics to picture-perfect use.
Ads
The creative possibilities of illustrations, whether static or animated, lift ads to an entirely new level. With the digital techniques available, imagination is the only limit. Whether an ad is entirely illustrative or just incorporates bits and pieces, they are easily remembered above all else.
NFL – National Football League
In a stroke of advertising brilliance, the NFL employed graphic artist C.M. de la Vega to create promotional reels for upcoming games. Using his artistic talents, he combines illustrative graphics with video in a notable explosion of color and energy.
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Websites
Websites can be heavy beasts with hundreds of pages to navigate. However, when used skillfully, illustrations can simplify a webpage into bite sized, colorful components. Illustrations are also perfect for assisting user interface (UI) content, whether that is a click of a button or site navigation.
Kimp
Graphic design company Kimp, puts their money where their mouth is with a website hero image worthy of the word ‘hero’. Designed to incorporate their superhero status as graphic designers for budget minded companies, their ‘ape in a cape’ watches over a very on brand website home page. Even utilizing illustrative graphics to guide the user through the page.
Brand Personality
Illustrations help share your brands personality, ethos, and even sense of humor. Even though not all graphics have to be humorous, they do add a lighthearted way to communicate who you are and what your brand is about.
Magic Spoon
Magic Spoon has upended the cereal aisle with cereal for grown-ups that is fun and good for you. Their illustrative packaging reflects their brand personality with colorful, quirky cartoons guaranteed to entice you to read the box while you eat instead of scrolling on your phone.
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Branding
Building a cohesive look and identity is easily done with illustrative graphics. The customizable capabilities can create a customer journey that is easily recognizable and memorable.
Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind, a mindfulness and meditation app, carries its illustrative personality from its website to its app. The soft colors and emotive visuals induce a mellow feel that winds its way through every aspect of the brand’s touchpoints.
Packaging
A product’s packaging must tell the story of the product and brand all in one swoop. Storytelling can often be a long process with text, but illustrations can easily encapsulate the narrative within one visual. This helps consumers identify your product and brand, easily and quickly.
Gopuff
Creative designer Dan Woodger of Jelly London created a unique brand mascot for delivery service, Gopuff. ‘The Mean Tomato’ was designed to stand out in a saturated pizza market and impart the brands cheeky sense of humor. The mascot was developed into several scenarios, each wrapping pizza boxes with bright colors and eye-catching graphics.
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Explainer Video
Animated illustrations take the ‘boring’ out of explainer videos by compacting information into a fun and easily understood form. They expertly match the style and personality of a brand while also imparting important information to the viewer.
Uber Eats
To simplify the instructions for their food delivery service, Uber Eats utilized the services of Explainly, a company who specializes in creating explainer videos for companies. The quick video takes viewers through the process of signing up for the program, all the way to the moment their food is delivered on their doorstep. Less than a minute of fun, eye-catching animations to explain an otherwise mundane process.
Logo
In this day and age, there is ZERO reason for a logo to be boring, especially if a little creativity and imagination are at play. Matching your logo, or mascot, to the ethos and purpose of your brand can help demonstrate what your brand is all about – in just a simple bit of design and color.
Duolingo
We couldn’t have an illustrative design list without including the Duolingo owl. In addition to becoming one of the most memorable brand mascots in recent years, Duo (yes, that’s its name) does a great job of representing wisdom, learning, and knowledge. Three main components of the Duolingo brand.
The use of illustrations in marketing has limitless possibilities, with brands quickly learning their customers want to be engaged with their content. If companies look at illustrative design as a comprehensive tool that can serve their brand from A to Z, they will forge a special connection with consumers. Companies don’t have to take themselves so seriously. We all need a little fun and marketing is the ideal place for that to happen.
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