We encounter illustrations everywhere. On websites, in presentations, on social media. Often we only notice them briefly and yet they get stuck. Colours, shapes and figures create an immediate feeling. Even before we start reading, we've already formed an opinion.

There is a decision behind every illustration

That is exactly why illustration is more than just design. It is attitude.

Illustration is sometimes used as a decorative element in brand communication. Something that fluffs up content or fills empty spaces. But there is much more to it. Each illustration represents a decision. It determines how a topic is told, what tone it gets, and what mood is conveyed.

Should something be approachable or more factual? Serious or playful? Calm or dynamic? These decisions are never random, even though they often seem that way. They say a lot about how a brand thinks and how it wants to be perceived.

Illustrations are never neutral. They show a perspective. They emphasize certain aspects and omit others. That is precisely where their strength lies. They can simplify complex content without falsifying it. They can transport emotions without being loud. And they can make topics visible for which there are sometimes no suitable words.

Used systematically, they have an effect

It becomes particularly exciting when illustrations are not only used individually but are part of a larger whole. When a visual language is repeated, developed and consistently used. Recognition is then created. And with it: trust.

Such a world of images does not appear arbitrary. It feels coherent. You recognize them again, often unconsciously. That is exactly what makes for good brand communication.

Everyday life shows how strongly illustration can influence the tone of a project. It sets the mood even before a copy is read and helps to classify content and find access. Calm, clear illustrations often have the strongest effect. Which don't try to explain everything, but leave space. For interpretation, for curiosity, for a feeling.

Illustration is therefore not an interchangeable style. It is part of the brand identity. It shows how a brand works. What's important. And how it talks to its target group. A tool to make content understandable and to make attitudes visible. Not loudly, not arbitrarily, but consciously.

Because in the end, it's not just what something looks like that counts. But what it conveys. And that is precisely the power of illustration.

‍