Storytelling greatly impacts how we feel about brands. It affects how we think about certain beverages, foods, clothing, and even household items. Studies have shown that our enjoyment of these products is often affected by their branding.

But it’s not just the brand messaging that matters. It’s the visuals. We want to see ourselves reflected on the page and in the stories told by businesses.

And for companies, it means using imagery to introduce people to the brand and enable them to embrace it. Here’s why visual storytelling is critical for building connections with customers and how your brand’s visuals can make them feel included in your narrative.

The importance of visual storytelling for brands

Whether it’s a print ad or a social post, the photos and illustrations used by your business have to reflect the audience viewing them because self-image influences how buyers feel about brands.

It’s personal. People want to feel good about the products they buy. And they want to use them to express their interests and personality.

For instance, outdoor clothing companies like Patagonia, Columbia, and REI provide high-performance gear for people who enjoy hiking, camping, skiing, and other outdoorsy activities. The imagery they use in their marketing creates a visual story for viewers full of energetic people, lush nature, and actively protecting the environment.

It’s so strong you can almost hear the ground crunch under your feet as you view their photography.

Buyers of these products can feel like these brands understand them because each company’s visuals mirror their lifestyle and values.

Using brand style guides for visual consistency

Style guides give the people creating assets for the company direction about utilizing each brand element. These guides can be a simple, one-pager, or multi-page book full of use case examples.

Every photo, graphic, or illustration has to remain consistent with the brand’s established tone and personality. When providing creative direction for images, brand style guides explain which types of visuals should be used and how.

Going back to our example about outdoor clothing companies, would it make sense if they suddenly used dark, moody photos set in the city? No. This sudden change would be considered off-brand and not representative of their target audience.

Style guides are necessary to break down a brand’s identity and ensure the visual story it tells is whole and consistent.

What are common pitfalls to avoid in visual storytelling?

The imagery used by brands can draw people in or push them away. Here are a few traps to avoid insulting or enraging your audience.

Irrelevant or misleading imagery
When images don’t align with your company’s products or services and how they’re used, it confuses your audience and can mislead them. Show people what they can expect from your brand. And if you make a mistake, apologize.

Stereotypical images
Incorporating photography or illustrations into your advertising or marketing that show your audience in a negative light tells them two things. 1) You didn’t do your research, and; 2) You didn’t care to try and understand them.

You want to be memorable for representing your customers, not misrepresenting them.

Lack of diversity or representation
One of the quickest ways to lose someone who could be a potential customer is to create marketing campaigns that don’t show other people who look like them. This can include race, gender, and other defining attributes such as able-bodiedness.

For example, the representation of disabled people in marketing is still a work in progress, as only 3% of ad spend goes towards showing this group even though they have enormous spending power.

Insensitive or offensive imagery
This doesn’t need to be said, or maybe it does, but you don’t want to include anything profane in your brand’s visuals. Sometimes things move fast when launching a new ad campaign, but it’s not an excuse to put out objectionable content.

Do your research ahead of time to address any cultural or ethical considerations that could affect how your audience views your brand.

Using visual storytelling to create brand affinity

Brand affinity starts by making people feel included in the story told about your company’s products and services. When people see themselves in this story, they’re more likely to buy from your brand and tell others about it.

The imagery used by your brand not only shows people who they are and what they aspire to be.

As trends and social norms change, your brand’s visual story will have to adapt and evolve with them so they continue to reflect your customers. Treat them with dignity and respect, and you’ll gain their loyalty.