Ok, so, The Story of Stuff. Well besides the fact that Annie Leonard is the most annoying narrator of all time…I really liked the videos. They definitely fulfilled all the major aims of an info graphic as we have learned them in class.
I think this animation did a very balanced job of presenting both relevant content and interesting, eye-catching animations. The cartoons in the info graphic make it more fun to watch and allow for a more light hearted approach to very serious and complex subject matter. Even the plain white background contributed to the overall positive aesthetic of the videos. The simplistic nature of the background allowed for the information to be translated to the viewer with limited distractions and placed the focus mainly on the figures and their actions in relation to the words.
The recognizable figures in the graphic such as Ghandi and MLK also make the info graphic more relatable to a broad audience. The anecdotes Leonard uses to highlight her points are widely known by a general audience and therefore very efficient in illuminating the major ideas she aims to communicate. The graphics even serve as amusing at times such as portraying Ghandi as a Rumpelstiltskin-esque character or showing him sending out a mass text on his smart phone.
Overall I think the animated info graphic proved successful. The graphics successfully communicated the content in a simplistic and relevant way. I was able to clearly understand the message as Leonard delivered it and I believe most would generally agree that it is very straightforward and well done.