Evolution of Visual Communication (New Media Design)
Eric Sim Wei Sheng (eric.sim.2013@business.smu.edu.sg), 1st Year student, Bachelor of Business Management, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Singapore Management University
Executive Summary
This paper seeks to explore the development of visual communication since prehistoric times to the modern world and where it might head in the future in forms of new media designs. It delves into the present phenomenon (both good and bad patterns) brought about by the advent of new media (namely, QR code, LCD and touch screen, Location Based Mobile and the Semantic Web). In addition, the paper examines how the economic, technological and social development of societies have always been changing the way we receive visual messages, and how new media technologies and shifting consumers behavior can be harnessed by visual communicators and designers to deliver visual messages more effectively in the modern digital era.
1. Introduction
Throughout the history of mankind, communication through visuals aids has been an integral method of relaying information, creative expression and recording of events. As humans have evolved over the centuries, our demands and methods of communication have also followed suit. Furthermore, with the advent of different communication technologies, the ways we spread and receive information have been constantly changing. According to Chen (2012), the spreading of messages has developed from the traditional word of mouth, to script and writings, print, wireless electronics and channels, and eventually communication through digital media.
The late 19th to the current 21th Century witnessed a rapid and unprecedented growth in communication technology, with the invention of Mass-Printing Technology, Television, Radio, Internet, Digital & Wireless Technology and New Media Technologies. Chen (2012) and Gwizdalski (2009) agree that the rapid development of communication has resulted in the trend of Globalization and brought the “society to a highly interconnected and complex level…” (Chen, 2012, p2).
In this era of mass-media communication, it appears that visual communication can be more powerful than other forms of communication for a few reasons. Firstly, people pick up and retain visual information better than verbal information (Stokes, n.d.; Lester, 2006; Hewlett-Packard Development Company, 2004), hence we process information more rapidly and keep them in our minds longer. Secondly, the advent of internet has allowed more resources and platforms for visual presenters to create and distribute visuals. (Hewlett-Packard Development Company, 2004).
As a result, there has been a wide-spread use of visual communication in marketing of products since the birth of early advertising, from simple posters and flyers announcing the availability of certain products, to multi-million advertising campaigns that aim to cajole and persuade the masses through various channels.
On the flip side, according to Bellak and Lipowski (as cited in Malhotra, 1984), our society is now bombarded with more visual information and more attacks of the senses than any other age induced by mass communication media. This may bring about issues like us allocating less time to deal with stimuli and people, our non-involvement with others, and the fierce competition for scarce resources in the city (Malhotra, 1984). In addition, a recent study conducted by Microsoft/MTV discovered that global youth believe that there is too much advertising in their lives (Kim, 2008). In that case, where can we strike a balance between effective propagating of ideas and messages through new media technologies, and limiting the effect of visual pollution in our lives? Can new media technology be deployed to mitigate problems arising from visual bombardment, or would it make things worse?
This paper examines the development of visual communication through traditional to new media and it delves into present phenomenon (both good and bad patterns) brought about by the advent of new media technologies. Lastly, this paper examines the potential of the development of new media technologies and predicts how new media technologies and shifting consumers behavior can be harnessed by visual communicators and designers to deliver visual messages more effectively in the modern digital era.
2. Development of Visual Communication (Past to Present)
Print as a form of visual communication
Since the beginning of human civilization, humans have been deploying visual communication for various reasons: expressing ideas, for decorations and for symbolization of dominance and power. According to Ayiter (n.d.), the first evidence of visual communication appears in cave paintings. It was followed by development of pictograms used by different ancient cultures around 9000BC ago which began to evolve into writing systems (For example, the Egyptian Hieroglyphs and Chinese Ideogramatic Characters) in around 5000 BC (Ayiter, n.d.). Paper was invented in AD 105 which made sharing of complex information over long distances easier (Kinsella, 1989).
The invention of the printing press by Johann Gutenburg created the publishing industry and paved the way for the industrialization of visual communication because works could be mass- produced and books became widely available (Ayiter, n.d.). Print enabled consolidated information to be shared amongst the masses and also enabled generations to improve on the intellectual achievements of their predecessors.
Following the printing press was the invention of Lithography by Alois Senefelder in 1800 during the industrial revolution which allowed reproduction of artwork in color and gave advertisers the opportunity to use eye-catching posters to sell their products (Hupfer, 1997). The industrial revolution changed visual communication in advertising from informative flyers marking the availability of goods in 17th and 18th century Europe to multi-million dollar campaigns that attempted to instantly cajole consumers around the world. In addition, poster propaganda became a widely used tool during the first and second world war to drive up morale and recruit soldiers (Hupfer, 1997).
Since the industrial revolution, the development of visual communication picked up rapidly and mass media was born eventually with the invention of television, computer, communication devices, internet, ICTs and other digital technologies. These have led to a major shift in how we communicate now compared to the past and opened doors to the rapid sharing of information like never before.
The author points out in particular that, visual communication has started to take a turn since entering the digital age with the prevalence of internet and digital technologies, where the powerful could no longer enforce tremendous influence over what the world thinks and feels through controlled channels such as the newspaper, radio or television. This is because unlike the past, message production and distribution are now free for whoever has access to the internet and these user-generated contents are driving a culture of rapid sharing of ideas and creativity to people all over the world.
Power to the People – Dawn of New Digital Media and Technologies
According to Gray (2008), it began in 1984, when Apple introduced the Machintosh computer and the Graphical User Interface. These are powerful tools for creative work which ordinary people had access to for the first time, and it means that individuals could now become publishers. In addition, Tim Berners-Lee came up with the World Wide Web in 1991 that revolutionized how ideas are transmitted (Gray, 2008). Message production and circulation can longer be controlled by any church, agencies, state and government, instead, the individuals are empowered with the tools and connectivity through digital media to create ideas and share them with anyone with a device connecting to the internet. Information can be shared via blogs, youtube channels, social media platforms and more.
The success of the digital media is due to various factors such as speed from broadband, interactivity, user-generated content and infinite reproduction of content (Mulhern, 2009; Kim, 2008; Taylor, 2009). The author notes that there is a growing sophistication in the demands of the consumers because of the digital revolution and marketers around the world are quick to react to consumers’ evolving behavior through the use of new digital media to reach out to them. According to Rishard (2013), marketers must now upgrade to meet the demands and the dramatically new habits of the empowered consumers in the way they understand, examine, buy and support certain messages.
In more recent times, the innovation in digital (or new) media, which include QR code scanning, LCD touch screen, 3D Augmented Reality, location-based mobile, are taking Visual Communication to a higher level. The digital media has also resulted in the development of the semantic web which improves the level of automation in advertising allocation and placement each time an ad is clicked. It interprets data like the human mind and serve ads to the appropriate person at the correct time and location (Mulhern, 2009). New media designs combine technology with modern ideas to convey strong messages and they also seek to reach out to people effectively.
3. Impact of New Media on Consumers (Current Situation)
While the print medium controlled the market in the 19th Century, advance of technology led to modern forms of medium like cinema screens and television which increased the reach to consumers. Currently, the usage of computers and mobile devices with the wireless technology has also re-defined the concept of communication in terms of its rate and nature (Rungta, 2013). We shall zoom into some of the new technologies that are taking visual communication to a higher level and how they will affect consumers’ experience and impact society.
a) QR (Quick Response) Code
A QR (Quick Response) Code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) that allows its contents to be decoded at high speed. Created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994, they are the most sought after type of 2D codes in Japan. Most recent smart phones can recognise this code with their camera and it works in the same way as barcodes, where the code scanner (or smart phone) recognizes and reads the code for information stored in the code. Comparing QR code to bar code, the former holds a significantly greater volume of information than a bar code.
The free market demands for codes to be printed on smaller surface area and be capable of storing more data. The application of QR code in advertisements, in particular, saves advertising space and allows interested consumers to scan the codes and have the access to more information directly from the web (Denso Wave Incorporated, n.d.). This creates a form of user-interaction with the advertisements which would not be possible with traditional print medium. The author highlights that the use of QR code can help user bridge the gap between the reality (offline) and the digital world (online). In addition, it allows measurement of engagement with consumers and includes analytics capabilities that provide marketers with greater information about the progress of their campaigns (Amendola, 2013).
The author notes that these information may include age, purchasing habit and preferred means of communication, and marketers can use such results to better craft their marketing campaigns to target specific customer segments more effectively. This will result in marketers carefully allocating resources at the right place and time to reach out to the right people, and thus reducing the situation of mass sending of ineffective messages to everyone in the hope that it will hit a few individuals. When marketers know what what they are doing and who they are doing it for, it is easy to keep them and consumers in harmony.
b) Digital Signage – LCD and Touch Screen
LCD technology can be found in nearly every form of modern electronic display, from high-definition television screens to alarm clocks and computer screens. It is often used as a communication tool to display moving images in locations with high human traffic like shopping districts, malls and transportation stations. They can be referred to as Digital Signage.
Some properties of LCD screen include, thin and slim visual display, display optimized for both high-resolution still images and dynamic high frame rate video content, and it is more energy efficient (Tyson, n.d.). It is sometimes combined with touch-screen technology to deliver an interactive and engaging experience for its users.
Unlike using a mouse or touchpad, touch screens makes one feel like he is directly interacting with the objects on the screen which is more natural and convenient. The author notes that the application of LCD panels and touch screen allows intuitive interactivity of visual elements and will represent the way we express ourselves in the digital spaces. Kim (2008) states that this could open up opportunities to new audiences in new places, and represent dramatic results for the digital advertising industry.
Some of the key benefits of Digital Signage include, ability to captivate audience, increase in interactivity resulting in the effective retention of of displayed information (Stevens 2013), and ability to change the display (stills or moving images) cheaply as content is digital (Helander, 2010). Stobbe & Just (2006) state that interactivity and improved means of monitoring advertising effective are strong advantages for the industry. However, while LCD and touch screen technology can be interactive, it lacks the ability to monitor the effectiveness of the campaign because it is hard to keep track of who on the street actually responded to and interacted with the advertisement, and ultimately the return of investment (ROI) of the advertisement.
The author suggests that this issue can be mitigated by deploying mobile advertising concurrently with digital signage which encourages user to respond to the digital advertisement they see via SMS to receive discounts or promotions. This way, marketers will then be able to judge the effectiveness of the digital campaign with the numbers of SMS received from certain market segments. We will discuss more about mobile advertising next.
c) Location Based Mobile
The prevalence of the use of smart phone leads to a new form of advertising that combines mobile advertisements with location-based services. Marketers are developing creative strategies and approaches to exploit this medium (Sultan & Rohm, 2005; as cited in Unni & Harmon, 2007). It is broadly defined as service that depends on information about a mobile device’s physical position (Unni & Harmon, 2007), and represent powerful and innovative ways to communicate with consumers anywhere and anytime (Unni & Harmon, 2007; Galloway, 2013).
A notable benefit of LBM is the customised advertising messages and promotions for products that are relevant to consumer’s location (Kalakota & Robinson, 2002; as cited in Unni & Harmon, 2007). It is exceptionally beneficial as many marketers have claimed that consumers want services and products that are tailored to their needs instead of more choices (Pine, Peppers & Rogers, 1995; as cited in Unni & Harmon, 2007). The author therefore points out that it will help save time in delivering relevant messages to the relevant crowd. The use of LBM advertising may be considered non-intrusive because according to a study by Trappey & Woodside (as cited in Helander, 2010), level of acceptance of such advertisings is high when they are related and relevant to the consumers’ interests. It thus presents a positive impact in a sense that advertisements only go to people who are receptive to them, and it reduces the bombardment of redundant messages to the masses.
The above are the various technologies that are beginning to gain foothold in visual and advertising communications in recent times, and next we delve into some of the impacts that arise from the prevalence of new media in our lives. They are namely, rapid globalization, increase in interactivity in advertisements that targets specific needs, increase in visual noise and the lack of privacy.
Rapid Globalization
New Digital Media paved the way for globalization as information is transmitted rapidly all around the world causing the birth of a global culture. According to Gwizdalski (2009), places and people around the world become greatly interconnected and cultural globalization may bring about a similar way of life and communication across cultures. Globalization through New Digital Media also “redefines political, cultural, economic, geographical and other boundaries of human society.” (Chen, 2012, p. 1). This presents great opportunities for the development of the world as human interaction becomes highly interconnected and sophisticated. In sum, the impact of the adoption of new digital media includes, a smaller world, the compression of space and time, closer societal interaction and global connectivity, accelerated competition and cooperation (Chen & Starosta, 2000; as cited in Chen, 2012).
The impacts of the integrations of new media on globalization can be seen in a small yet cosmopolitan country like Singapore, for example. Our tastes and preference are shaped by the exposure we obtain from the mass media, the food and shopping choices available in the market are the result of growing global competition from corporations all around the world, even our way of thinking are influenced by a global culture born from the advent of mass and digital media.
It is observed that our exposure to a common global culture gives rise to similar aspirations and patterns of expression as we become more interconnected and share similar experiences. Tomlinson (as cited in Gwizdalski 2009) states that globally circulating subjects and ideas alter local cultures, individuals and economies. With the help of new digital media, global culture will be even more pervasive as it reaches out to the masses more effectively and readily.
In terms of visual communication, globalization has caused a rise in similar patterns of visual expressions. For example, in a study conducted by Gwizdalski (2009), when respondents from around the world were asked to make a visual representation of a drink, majority depicted the drink in a disposable cup with a straw leaning to the right side. In addition, according to Griffin (2002), another example would be that the western ideals of feminine appearance have proliferated around the world making western fashion models a global standard of beauty. This shows how global culture plays a pivotal role in influencing people’s visual expression and preference around the world.
It is often lambasted that globalization dilutes the individual cultures and promotes unhealthy “western” ideas like capitalism, ideals on beauty, and liberal views on sex. However, in the author’s opinion, the rise of globalization brings about progress and awareness in a sense that people from different cultures can exchange values and ideas to one another and contribute to this ever-changing global culture. Competition between countries can also increase because of the awareness of what is available out there in the global market. It is therefore good for any country and any individual to be open about possibilities beyond their geographical, social or economical landscape, and use the knowledge and awareness to stay current and relevant. New digital media definitely brings about positive benefits to the society in this manner.
Increase in interactivity in advertisements that target customised needs
There is an increase in media options for consumers in the past decades and it has consequently increased the expectation of control and choice among audience. Furthermore, audience are no longer satisfied with passive information fed to them by traditional medium. Hence, the author points out that, it is important for visual communicators to reach out effectively to them by leveraging on new media technologies to engage them with digital interactivity, and better measure the effectiveness of the messages that is of real need and value to consumer.
McMillan et al. (2003) found that interactivity is a key driver of success for website effectiveness because the internet has the ability to engage the consumer for a longer period of time and in greater depth than traditional media (Taylor, 2009). With the help of new media technologies like the QR code, touchscreen displays and location based mobile, it further enhances the engagement and digital experience of the intended audiences, sometimes even giving them great entertainment value.
Another advantage of interactive advertising is that when a consumer chooses to respond to the advertisement, he has already shown interest and advertisers can easily direct them to more information without going through the trouble of creating interest (Helander 2010). Visual communicators can take advantage of the interactive technologies and build a relationship with the consumers, because according to Taylor (2009), consumers can move quickly from awareness to action quickly in an interactive platform.
New digital media also encourages a “participatory culture”, which according to Jenkins et al. (as cited in James et al. , 2010), refers to “a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations …” (p.220). In another words, through the virtual space, it gives the individual the platform for self-expression and the choice to control what he wants to create and consume. It is mainly because the individuals are relieved from the physical constraints of real-life and they can experiment openly and flexibly in the virtual world.
Interactivity is an important component in new digital media and is set to bring various advantages to both the consumers and marketers. The rise of interactivity in new digital technology is thus seen as a positive impact that shapes the way we receive and retain information, and the way marketers reach out to us.
Visual noise and Lack of Privacy
According to Bellak (as cited in Malhotra, 1984), our modern society is described by the growing amount of noise, information and more contact with people and bombardment on the senses. Furthermore, in the face of different types of visual and noise stimuli, we are constantly encouraged by mass media to make all sorts of decisions which could lead to sensory overload. According to Ostfeld and D’ Atri (as cited in Malhotra, 1984), overload leads to us allocating less time to deal with stimuli and people, non-involvement with others, and fierce competition for scarce resources in the city. These are common traits of city-dwellers and would continue to worsen with the increase and flagrant use of New Media in advertising, because advertising messages are now taken from physical space into digital space, trying to engage consumers from all directions.
To illustrate an example, as opposed to the consumption of traditional media (which takes place in defined period and place), most of us leave our devices on for most of the time, which allows advertisers to reach us almost anytime and anywhere (in the case of location-based advertising), and bombard us with unwanted messages. In addition, the idea that we can be tracked creates discomfort due to the lack of privacy.
Hence, the author recommends some measures to curb the bombardment of information. Starting from the individual, who can limit the intake of external information by consciously avoiding the sources of information not relevant to his or her current needs. In addition, we should manage our online privacy more vigilantly so that we do not share all of our personal information on the digital media. According to James et al. (2010), to many of the younger people, privacy involves carefully managing the disclosure of our private data – what is shared, how it is presented and who can see it, rather than concealing information all together. Hence it is important we safeguard our personal data by being more cautious in putting things up on the web.
It is followed by the marketers who should carefully limit the amount of information delivered, optimize ways of message delivery and leverage on the existing technologies to encourage voluntary subscription of advertising messages. For example, the use of QR can reduce information displayed upfront to the target audience and can encourage their participation to find out more. Further more, studies have discovered that getting permission from users prior to advertising to them led to higher acceptance and effectiveness of mobile advertising (Taylor, 2009). These shows that marketers need to be more aware of users’ concerns about privacy so as to achieve effectiveness in their strategies.
4. Potential of the development of New Media and Consumer Behavior (Future Consideration)
The potential of digital new media is limited only by our imagination. In the futuristic film ‘Minority Report’, Tom Cruise is probed by digital advertisements talking to him about his personal needs as he walked past advertisements boards. This might be the future of visual and advertising communication – showing what is relevant and customised to the specific consumers. Judging from the technologies that are available in the market, it is very possible that it will one day be a reality.
According to Mulhern (2009), the digitization of media has brought automation in advertising allocation to a higher level with the development of the semantic web which will process information like the human mind. Advertisements will be “smarter” and interpretive of the users’ preference and history of browsing each time they click on it. The model is already existing with big companies like Google and Facebook.
The author thus notes that this could bring about opportunities for the advertising industry to deliver advertising as a form of value-adding service, where consumers pay to choose what they want or do not want to see, where and when to see it, or pay for guarantees that advertisements targeting to them are authentic and relevant. Unni & Harmon (2007) suggest that preliminary surveys conducted by market research agencies showed a great level of interest in consumers to subscribe and pay for more utilitarian services that give direct benefits and perceived value to them. It is deduced that if smart ads can be developed in a way that adds value to the consumers, they will be more acceptable or even highly sought after.
Thus, planning advertising is going to be about matching the messages to the individuals, which also means that visuals do no need to be as attention-seeking as today’s interruption-based advertising (Mulhern, 2009). This is actually a good thing in mitigating the growing amount of visual noise and information overload in our lives, because with smarter placement of visual communication, it will only reach specific target audience at the right place and time, and this shall not affect members of the public that is out of the targeted segment.
According to Pilotta et al. (as cited in Mulhern, 2009) recent research shows that many consumers engage with several electronic devices at the same time and personal electronic devices allow media messages to travel with consumers. This creates a hybridization of public and private spheres on and off the web. The formation of virtual groups and communities through Digital Media overcomes all physical boundaries and will impact the way we look at reality and the way we define ourselves (Bessa, 2012; Jones 1995, as cited in Chen 2012). As technology is becoming more a part of us, there will be a rise in integrated visual communication that is capable of targeting any audience, time, device and place. Such effective mass media advertising can change people’s perception of needs and will become a powerful tool that will propel development of future technologies or markets as it creates demand, desire and need.
5. Conclusion
We are indeed living in exciting times where technology and innovation is changing how we live our lives, distribute ideas and receive messages. Visual communication has come a long way since the beginning of civilization and will continue to shape the way we live and connect, at the same time, to be shaped by our changing demands and social patterns.
Firstly, we looked at how visual communication has evolved from traditional print (in forms of books, newspapers and posters) to digital platforms, how visual communication is used by organizations to reach out to the masses and the changing patterns of how we receive and distribute visual messages.
Secondly, we explored the current new media technologies used by message distributors and how it will change the landscape of visual communication in the near future, followed by the effects on people and the society.
Thirdly, the author suggests some of the possible outcomes of visual communication and advertising influenced by current mass communication technologies. Such development of modern visual communication technologies can revolutionize the entire communication and advertising industry.
From a bigger perspective, the author concludes that the existing technologies are pointing towards a smarter and more interactive form of visual communication that relies heavily on consumer’s participation and data input. These will induce great influences on globalization, customization of advertising messaging, how we can reduce public visual noise and address privacy issues.
In sum, the future of visual communication presents much opportunities to be explored as we take to the digital sphere. However, the perils of digital communication exist and steps must be taken to mitigate such problems as we make the leap to a revolutionary forms of visual communication.
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Technology and World Change 2013 