Visual Metaphors in Media Design: Influence on Information Perception

Abstract

The aim of the study is to systematize visual metaphors as a media design tool, identify the mechanisms through which they influence the cognitive perception of information, and develop practical approaches for their effective use in digital communications.

Research methodology. The study employed a range of methods, namely: art-historical, system-structural, formalization, and comparative methods. The art-historical method was applied to analyze visual metaphors as artistic and communicative forms functioning within the media landscape, to examine the figurative-symbolic nature of visual solutions and their stylistic features, as well as to interpret metaphors through the lens of aesthetic categories (form, composition, color, and associativity). This ensured an accurate interpretation of visual metaphors not only as a communication tool but also as an element of contemporary visual culture. In turn, the system-structural method made it possible to identify the components of media design and classify visual metaphors as one of them. The study is based on verified empirical data, statistical materials (in particular, data from the Statista platform), as well as research contributions in the fields of media design, cognitive psychology, and communications, which made it possible to demonstrate the influence of visual metaphors on the perception of information, support theoretical claims with concrete examples, and ensure the validity of the conclusions drawn. The comparative method made it possible to trace the fields in which the term «visual metaphors» has also been studied, while the formalization method demonstrated how they may appear in contemporary media design.

Results. The article presents an overview and analysis of visual metaphors, methods of their creation, and their types. It examines their modes of presentation and the platforms used for their dissemination. The article also analyzes case studies on the use of visual metaphors in contemporary media design. Examples of advertising and digital communications (including brand campaigns and visual solutions used by social media platforms) in which various types of visual metaphors are applied in practice are also examined. The rapid development of information technology drives the need to improve tools that facilitate the perception of information, which, in turn, contributes to a more effective understanding of news content, communicative messages, and advertising materials.

The novelty lies in the systematization of visual metaphors as a structural element of media design, the refinement of approaches to their interpretation through the combination of art-historical and cognitive analysis, as well as in advancing the understanding of the mechanisms through which they influence the perception of information within the digital environment. Unlike existing studies, this research integrates media design, cognitive psychology, and digital communications, while also accounting for platform-specific features of content distribution and practical application.

Practical significance. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the principles underlying the formation of effective visual-metaphorical solutions in media design and provide a foundation for further research in this field. The application of such approaches helps prevent information overload among the audience and increases the effectiveness of message comprehension, which, in turn, contributes to the improvement of communication and learning processes in the digital environment.

Key words: media, metaphors, media design, visual metaphors, information, social media.