‘A picture is worth a thousand words. The public relations and communications landscape has changed over time to accommodate new media channels and content types. Gone are the days of just press releases and long-form texts. The world is enthralled by visuals and the interesting ways information can be made more visually appealing.
Audiences are increasingly looking for more appealing images. Public relations practitioners and experts must wield this never-ending visual thirst to optimise their publicity offerings to meet client objectives.
What Role Does Design Play in PR?
In this world of oversaturation of information on social media, television, and digital media, communication can no longer consist of a flat piece of copy to compete. With audience attention fleeting, there is little time to sustain the interest of consumers.
For publicity and advertisement, images and video make for a more interactive experience as they are easily digestible and more interactive, which gives consumers something to view along with texts. Infographics, well-designed crafted advertorials and videos also create a positive disposition to the advertised content. Essentially in PR, visuals become a form of a staple.
Where Does Graphic Design Sit Within the PR Space?
Graphic design sits at the heart of PR. Successful public relations strategies would not be as effective without graphic design. Problem-solving with imagery keeps content interesting. When the audience sees only words on a page or a screen, they are less likely to pay attention to what is being conveyed than when there are creative images. Thus, design has allowed PR practitioners to tell a story through a new medium – visuals.
With visuals, stories are better told as they better present a deeper understanding of a complex situation by evoking emotion, whether it be excitement sadness, anger, disgust or even fear.
What Design Trends Should We Expect To See in 2023?
Design trends sometimes fade out and then get reinvented. For 2023, the design function will be back. I believe design will shift focus from colour and form back to purpose and usage, giving creative designers the room to focus on cultural, business and technological impact. The user experience will determine aesthetics. Creative designers will be more inclined to emphasize simplification and personal use to lead to a higher rate of successful product campaigns.
With design being critical to influencing audience engagement in a campaign, it mustn’t be considered an afterthought in PR strategies. Rather it should take on a primary role and be utilised for optimal use.
Elisha Ubiah is a creative designer at ID Africa.