Are Clip-art ‘Design crimes’ returning?!

Microsoft killed the library back in 2014, discontinuing Clip’Art’ and pointing people to search for images using Bing instead. This meant an astonishingly high percentage (an estimated 85% of all images used in presentations are stolen from the internet) weren’t even legally available for use! Now 2016, Microsoft have just released a statement saying that they’ve just integrated clip art back into Office and Windows 10 via Swedish image bank Pickit.com…. so users can bring their own individual ‘style’ to Marketing, PowerPoints and Office docs once again!

It goes without saying that clip-art has no place in business. It sounds simple enough, but take care to ensure your business avoids wreaking visual havoc.

Don’t: use inconsistent/generic clip-art, wreck your brand identity with bad imagery, or hope that the picture of a ‘dog in a hat’ will be understood by everyone, even if it is ‘smiling’!

Do: Think about who’s viewing your content, look to visually engage your audience at the business level. Make sure imagery used is relevant, and that it reinforces both your messaging and your brand identity.

We’re here to make sure all of your communications are presented at the highest quality, targeting the right audiences in the right voice.

Did clip-art in your business ever leave? Any horror stories from the past? Let us know in the comments below!