Author: fmaelysi

Generally, city maps are used for navigating streets and subways but do little to inform about the experiences of a city. That’s where Tags and the City comes in. Created by Tin Fischer, David Goldwich, Jug Cerović, and Andrea Rohner, a journalist, software engineer, architect and map maker, and graphic designer respectively, the transit maps are labeled based on popular Instagram hashtags used near each station. The hashtags analyzed by Fischer were chosen based on their proximity to a station and did not include tags that referenced temporary events or installations, neighborhood names, or station names. The purpose of the analysis...

There has never been a more confusing, more incendiary time in the media than this moment. Fake news, pundits, think pieces, op eds, blogs, Twitter feeds, and a trillion other platforms are disseminating information, yet opinion is reigning supreme over facts. Many of us have become disillusioned, retreating to our corners and shaking our heads. We are in the middle of a credibility crisis, and that’s why data-based stories are needed more than ever—especially for marketers. Many groups, particularly millennials, are suspicious of brands’ intentions. The 2014 Edelman Brandshare survey found that 70% of consumers think brands only share information with...

What are motion graphics? Simply put, they are animated graphics that tell a story. Motion graphic stories can be told through kinetic text, through animated images, or both. They can be 2D or 3D. There are so many options, which is why we love them. If you’re not too familiar with motion graphics, here’s one of our parent company’s, Column Five, for reference. Now that video is on the rise, motion graphics are a more popular medium than ever. They’re fantastic storytelling tools, but they are not all created equal. A truly compelling and effective motion graphic includes many important elements. If you want to...

Data visualization, big data, brand storytelling—you’ve probably heard these terms, and you’re likely to hear them more and more in the marketing sphere. (In 2016, LinkedIn found that the #2 most desirable hiring skill is statistical analysis and data mining.) Data is everywhere, but it’s what we do with that data, what insights we tap into that make it so valuable. And that is essentially why data storytelling is so important. DATA STORYTELLING VS. DATA VISUALIZATION Contrary to popular belief, data storytelling is not simply data visualization, analytics reporting, or a handful of stats sitting in a PowerPoint somewhere. Data storytelling is...