Illustration plays a crucial role in advertising, often blending artistic creativity with brand messaging to produce visually compelling campaigns. Therefore, I will solely focus my research on brand illustration to better understand how it plays a crucial role in marketplace.

Illustrated advertisements offer brands a unique way to engage audiences, often evoking nostalgia, playfulness, or sophistication. Whether through digital illustrations, hand-drawn sketches, or character-driven campaigns, illustration remains a powerful storytelling tool in advertising, reinforcing brand identity and enhancing consumer connection.

Illustration has been used successfully by companies like Duolingo and Minor Figures to market their goods and strengthen their brands.

The language app of Duolingo has a lively visual aesthetic that revolves around its owl mascot and the app's lively graphics, entertaining characters, and dynamic animations have all been carefully designed to improve user experience and speed up learning. This method appeals to a wide range of people by making language accessible, interesting and approachable. Additionally, internet meme culture has embraced the whimsical graphics, which has improved brand recognition.

The unique illustrations of Duolingo are the product of the teamwork of its internal design team. Notably, Linda Simensky, who joined in 2021 as Head of Animation and Scripted Content, has experience from Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, while Megan Barker, a Senior Illustrator, contributes to the platform's visual components. In order to create a lively, approachable style, the design team concentrates on a shape language composed of rounded rectangles, circles, and triangles. The vibrant greens, blues, and yellows that make up Duolingo's striking colour scheme create a dynamic, welcoming environment that lessens language learning anxiety. Beginning in 2018, the design evolved from hard-edged, static shapes to a more dynamic and captivating graphic style, which improved the interface's usability and aesthetic appeal.

Simple monochrome graphics are used on the packaging of Minor Figures, a company well-known for its plant-based beverages. In contrast to idealistic marketing, these line drawings celebrate the ordinary by depicting everyday situations. This unique look has grown so recognisable that it even appears on limited-edition apparel.

The visual identity of Minor Figures, a coffee company situated in the United Kingdom, has been greatly influenced by the work of renowned illustrator and graphic novelist Andrew Rae. His partnership with the company produced unique images that are now essential to Minor Figures' packaging and visual identity.

Rae's illustrated style is distinguished by its understated humour and simplicity; it frequently incorporates whimsical characters that give the brand's image a lively touch. This strategy brings a sense of humour to the coffee industry and fits in perfectly with Minor Figures' philosophy. His illustrations' simplicity makes them instantly identifiable and strengthens the brand's identity.

Regarding colour selection, Rae uses a subdued palette, primarily using monochromatic palettes and gentle tones. The images are able to blend in with Minor Figures' packaging's basic design without overpowering it because to this muted colour scheme. The brand's dedication to quality and simplicity is reflected in the tasteful use of colour, which also exudes sophistication.

To sum up, advertising uses illustrations as a potent tool to engage people, convey strong feelings, and tell brand stories. Brands like Duolingo and Minor Figures have effectively enhanced their identities and cultivated closer relationships with consumers by utilising graphics with consideration and purpose. The importance of illustration in advertising is expected to grow as the market develops further, providing fresh chances for innovation and interaction.