Around here we spend lots and lots of timing writing. Writing core messages, writing strategy descriptions, writing articles, writing executive memos, writing speeches, and so on. We write all kinds of things for our clients and ourselves every day, so it goes without saying that we are huge believers in the written word.But we also don’t believe that successful communication is achieved using just one medium or vehicle. Which brings me to my latest communications find – and it’s one that I’m really excited about (or possibly borderline obsessed).Here it is: visual explanations. Or more specifically, cool little animated presentations that take a complex or mystifying concept and in just a few minutes, explain it through interesting -- and often entertaining -- moving images and words. Sure you can read a detailed explanation of something and likely gain a certain level of understanding, but these little gems tie it all up in a neat, fun little package.But enough of me writing about it… go check it out for yourself. The website I’m loving is explania.com, and a couple of my favorites are their clips on Marketing ROI and Twitter (but there are lots to choose from).I can think of so many different ways these could be used to communicate all kinds of things, and I bet you can too! The next time you’re facing a communications challenge, consider going beyond the written word – a different approach will likely stand out and can often be more effective in reaching your audience. And by the way... we love brainstorming creative ideas for doing stuff like this, so give us a holler if you need any help.