Importance of iconography

 Iconography is how a person interprets certain visual images or symbols. This is important because in a magazine, different photos will appeal to different people but will depend on the theme and genre of magazine at hand. Some of these reasons include:

Communication - Icons are a universal language that can quickly convey complex ideas, and help people understand different and underlying meanings/messages in the magazine

Memory - Images are much more memorable than words, so when combining well taken images and well thought out text in a magazine it can help significantly to attract the reader more.

Brand recognition - Magazines could use iconography to create a unique identity that helps the consumers differentiate them from their competitors.

Also, the effective use of iconography can guide readers interpretations and reactions of the story being told. This can include religious, political and cultural symbols or images that resonate with the audience on different levels, often invoking emotional responses. Mise-en-scene is important in magazine iconography, because it can create cohesion for the overall look of each page. Which would strengthen the brands visual language and also help readers.