Driving Action with Statistics vs. Pictures: Pictures Win
Carl Bialik, The Numbers Guy blog on The Wall Street Journal, lays out an interesting case study for Save the Children that shows how pictures are far more effective than numbers in driving action. Basically, researchers found that a picture of a starving child was most effective in getting donations over a picture with numbers (or numbers alone). It would seem the numbers simply distracted from the emotional effect by causing compassion fatigue.
If you are a cause-related firm, take note. These studies are showing that people have a difficult time comprehending large scale problems. However, people very quickly related to the plight of an individual.
Messaging and message delivery needs to recognize that there is a difference between creating awareness and understanding, and driving people to take action. Numbers create a great understanding of a problem, but that can actually lead to inaction as people have trouble grappling with the facts. At the same time, pictures may not create much understanding but the emtional awareness effect will drive people to take action.
