And they have good reason for it. Research shows:
After all, when it comes to communicating with their target audiences, marketing and IR teams share some of the same important goals:
Yet research suggests that IR is not yet fully embracing visual storytelling. For example, one 2023 study found many IR professionals still rely heavily on conventional written reports—even as another indicates that investors prefer information in “shorter, snappier formats.”
At JK, we’re big believers in the power of visual storytelling to help all kinds of companies express their brand narratives in meaningful, engaging ways—not just to investors, but also to customers, employees, and beyond.
Investors want to know more about your company than your financials—so IR teams must deliver meaningful messaging about your long-term vision, values, culture, social good commitments, and other elements that set your company apart and make it appealing to investors, employees, and customers alike.
TIP: Paint the big picture. Your brand story will become the foundation of your investor communications strategy—and visual storytelling will make it even more compelling.
So develop a graphic narrative that takes investors on a journey through your brand and business. Try these effective techniques:
And consider teaming up with your marketing, sales, and internal comms teams to align on your company narrative and share creative visual assets. When everyone at your company is telling a consistent brand story, it makes a bigger impact on all your audiences—and helps stretch your budgets further.
An infographic is a way to represent data and information graphically—using illustrations, icons, and text treatments—to make it easily understandable at a glance.
Infographics are highly effective ways to grab and hold people’s attention. They’ve even been shown to increase sales by up to 80%. That’s no doubt a major reason 65% of brands use them in their marketing efforts.
And IR teams are catching on. Case in point: Walmart. Their recent earnings reports have been almost entirely reimagined as infographics, boldly highlighting critical financial information and enabling intuitive navigation.
TIP: Pack a visual punch. Not all infographics are created equal. Here are a few ways to get the most out of them.
Incorporating video into earnings calls and financial presentations is a dynamic way to convey complex messages clearly and quickly—and to connect with shareholder and investor audiences on an emotional level.
For example, Kraft Heinz uses entertaining videos in their Consumer Analyst Group of New York (CAGNY) presentations, bringing the story of their growth and strategic priorities to life in relatable, appealing ways.
Video has also been shown to generate better engagement than both text and image content combined.
TIP: Take it to the max. Of course, video is an inherently visual medium—but there are ways to maximize its potential for telling a story investors will connect with.
Interactive graphic elements enable investors to easily access financial data and key performance indicators, providing a more immersive and informative experience.
TIP: Enhance exploration. Adding interactivity to static reports allows investors to explore the level and types of information they want, without the need to wade through dense blocks of text and long lists of numbers. Here are a few ways to do it:
Incorporating these visual storytelling techniques into your investor communications can help you breathe life into your numbers and infuse feeling into your financials.
Use them to turn disclosures and data points into an engaging story that helps shareholders understand your business, have confidence in your strategy—and believe in your long-term success.
We can help you create and tell your best investor story—one that goes beyond the numbers to make meaningful connections. Get in touch and let’s talk.
