Chapter 2, Branding with powerful stories:
Find the Villain to Uncover the story
and make your company the hero
GRAPHICS PORTRAY HEROES AND VILLAINS TOO
Power corrupts, and PowerPoint corrupts absolutely. For me, the first rule is “Don’t use PowerPoint.” If you must, however (and I understand that in many large corporations the “deck” is a necessary element of any presentation—so fundamental that its absence could be perceived as a dereliction of duty), then by all means use graphics sparingly. Remember this: you are the presentation, not the slides. If you are simply reading the text on your PowerPoint, then do us all a favor and e-mail the copy to us and sit down. We can certainly read faster than you can speak …
Here are three simple rules to follow:
1. Always explain what the X and Y axes represent. There is nothing worse than puzzling over the meaning of the lines and missing the point. Once we are confused by even one slide, we generally tune out altogether.
2. Assume all graphics and concepts are unclear without careful explanation. Tell us why they matter and how they fit into the context of your presentation.
3. When in doubt, show a relevant picture. If you’re discussing sales from the unit in France, for instance, a shot of the Arch of Triumph would orient us immediately. Plus, it would be a visual break from the monotony of financial results.
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