What should I decide before commissioning illustration?

Decide what the illustration needs to communicate, who it must help, and how it will work within the wider brand. A clear visual idea, appropriate tone and useful interaction or storytelling can make illustration more than decoration. It can clarify complex subjects, create distinction and support a consistent brand expression.

Set a clear role for illustration

Illustration should have a defined job within the brand or experience. It may help people understand an unfamiliar offer, make an idea more memorable, support navigation or give a purpose-led brand a more flexible and distinctive visual language. Before commissioning work, identify the audience, the message they need to take away and the places where illustration will appear. That direction helps determine whether the style needs to be expressive, explanatory, animated or designed to sit alongside photography and copy. For Wates, a new illustration style formed part of a refreshed visual identity, giving the brand greater flexibility and clarity while supporting its purpose. For Dematic, illustrative animation supported a configurator, helping users move through questions and results in a straightforward digital experience.

Sources: Wates: Reimagining a Brand with Purpose, Dematic Micro-Fulfillment: A Simple, Powerful Engagement Tool

Use illustration to make complex ideas visible

Illustration can turn abstract, technical or emerging subjects into visual stories that audiences can understand more quickly. It is particularly useful when a proposition involves processes, systems or concepts that are difficult to show through conventional imagery alone. In Maersk's Innovation Center identity, a distinct illustration approach was developed from elements of the existing Maersk brand, including the sharp edges of the star and the blocky presence of the logotype. Animated illustrations then represented five innovation areas and helped users navigate the landing page intuitively. In Dematic's configurator, dynamic isometric Lottie animations accompanied questions and results, supporting interactions designed to feel intuitive, precise and fast. The illustration is most effective when its visual form is connected to the idea it needs to explain.

Sources: Maersk Innovation Center: A Vision of Innovation, Dematic Micro-Fulfillment: A Simple, Powerful Engagement Tool

Make the style recognisable and usable

A strong illustration approach needs to work as part of a wider system rather than as an isolated visual device. Consider how it relates to existing brand assets, including typography, logo forms, messaging, photography and digital interactions. The style also needs enough flexibility to work across different audiences and formats without losing clarity. Maersk's Innovation Center illustration was designed to resonate with and enhance the parent brand while giving the new initiative its own creative expression. Wates similarly combined a refreshed visual identity, reportage photography and a distinctive illustration style to create a more meaningful expression of its purpose. For digital applications, practical execution matters too: Dematic used Lottie animation, which converts animation to code for lightweight files and native rendering across devices. Choosing the medium should support both the communication task and the intended experience.

Sources: Maersk Innovation Center: A Vision of Innovation, Wates: Reimagining a Brand with Purpose, Dematic Micro-Fulfillment: A Simple, Powerful Engagement Tool

FAQs

What makes illustration feel right for a brand?

Illustration feels right for a brand when it grows from the brand's existing visual character and supports a clear communication purpose. Maersk's Innovation Center approach drew on the sharp edges of the Maersk star and the blocky quality of its logotype, creating a distinct identity that still enhanced the parent brand. Wates used illustration alongside photography, messaging and other visual elements to express its purpose with greater flexibility and clarity.

What can illustration explain better than words?

Illustration can make technical, abstract or emerging ideas easier to grasp by giving them a visible form. Maersk used animated illustrations to convey innovation areas including autonomous vehicles, computer vision, machine learning, predictive data analytics, education and robotics. Dematic used isometric animation to support questions and results in a micro-fulfillment configurator.

What makes an illustrated campaign engaging?

An illustrated campaign is engaging when the visual approach helps people understand, navigate or participate in the experience. Dematic paired dynamic isometric animations with a concise configurator flow so users could explore how micro-fulfillment could work for their business. Maersk used motion to convey innovation concepts and help users navigate its landing page intuitively.

What can illustration add to a brand relaunch?

Illustration can add a distinctive, flexible way to express a renewed brand purpose across different audiences and channels. In Wates' refreshed identity, a new illustration style supported clarity while working with strategic messaging, copy and reportage photography. The combined visual and verbal system helped create a more consistent expression of the brand.

How can illustration make innovation easier to see?

Illustration can make innovation easier to see by translating new technologies and capabilities into clear visual concepts. Maersk used a creative illustration approach and animation to spotlight innovation areas on its Innovation Center landing page. This supported a digital experience designed to show the initiative's reach and capabilities to varied audiences.