Anxiety and fear are theoretically different emotions that string very similar stress levels in most people. Fears are induced due to several reasons – fear of heights, confined spaces or even bees. However, the most realistic fear any person can undergo is that of someone breaking into his or her home, better known as Scelerophobia (fear of bad men or burglars). It is based on this very emotion that ADT Home Security, America’s #1 security provider for homes and business puts out an infographic to educate readers on the mindset of a burglar, stats related to burglaries and important safety tips to avoid being a victim.
Essentially, this is one of the more creatively constructed infographics I have reviewed. It is akin to a postcard format, and the information is depicted by way of simple cartoon figures. On the left side, the most eye catching statistic tells us that in the US, there is a burglary every 14.6 seconds and nearly 2/3rd of all burglaries takes place at people’s homes. Now, keeping this statistic in mind, the fear of burglars or scelerophobia can be a very real occurrence. The imaging and creative depiction is very attractive and effective. A keyhole that occupies 75% of the left space shows a happy family sitting inside a living room exchanging gifts on Christmas eve. This perspective is obviously from the eye of the burglar and is quite fascinating. There are some more stats on the periphery of this keyhole image – 1 of 5 homes will encounter a violent intrusion, 2,000,000 home burglaries in US are reported annually, nearly 15.2 billion is lost in property theft each year and homes without a security system are 3 times as likely to be burglarized.
The last point begins to build a specific base for what ADT Home Security is all about and why people should buy into it. On the right side of the infographic, we have an image of a burglar that looks something like the Grinch. Looks like this inforgraphic really was published around Christmas time, and is a smart way to appeal to people. Christmas is a time to be wary of robberies, and ADT Security has really got its theme spot on. A burglar’s wishlist, consisting of cash, jewellery, guns, digital cameras and small electronics (iPods, GPS, PDA’s MP3’s and CD’s) is stated. There are also some basic safety tips such as not leaving valuables out in the open, keeping windows and doors locked and not advertising any of your holiday plans.
However, infographics tend to be a great medium for branding, and if done well, can build some serious connect with consumers. By focusing on statistics of burglaries in the US, centering the graphic around Christmas and keeping the content very simple, the message was extremely appealing and attractive. ADT Security should be commended for this particular effort.
