Business Illustrator is the brainchild of Virpi Oinonen, an experienced online communications specialist and cartoonist living in London, England.
Why visual explanations?
Firstly, over the years I’ve learnt that nothing gets a message across better than an insightful visuals. The more abstract and complex the message the more beneficial it is to turn it into a visual explanation. Secondly, illustrations, comics and infographics are cost effective content marketing. I’ve seen marketers and campaigners waste huge amounts of money on “viral” videos and I was thinking to myself that these people really need to know about visual explanations.
Why the hand drawn style?
Two reasons. Firstly, hand drawn images make the infographics more human. If your aim is to engage your staff and make them feel that they can come up with new solutions and ideas you don’t want to create distance with computer generated imagery. Computer generated graphics tend to signal that things are set in stone, that staff can have no input. Drawn images are more “open” and more readily invite discussion and new ideas.
Secondly, I draw really fast so it’s a very cost effective way for me to produce images.
Couple of words about me
I’m first and foremost a communicator. I’ve worked as…
- Online communications specialist for international NGOs, intergovernmental organisations and government departments. One of my main jobs has been to plan and execute online campaigns. As part of those campaigns I’ve had to explain complex (and potentially really boring) topics to a wider audience and motivate them to take action
- Internal communications specialist (facilitating cultural change and supporting employee engagement)
- Freelance journalist
- Freelance cartoonist (drawing comic strips for current affairs magazines and newspapers)In case you wonder where my name comes from: I’m originally from Finland, but I live and work in London, UK. I’ve also worked in Canada and the US.
Contact me
Email: virpi(at)businessillustrator.com
Twitter: @voinonen
I blog about visual communication and visual content marketing at Businessillustrator/blog.
