Labels and storytelling

Storytelling through labels

Visual storytelling is playing an increasingly important role in the world of labels. Storytelling is nothing new: for millennia, human beings have used it to explain complex concepts or convey abstract ideas. But because storytelling has endured through the ages, it’s essential to understand what makes it so singular when expressed on a label.

What is visual storytelling?

Visual storytelling involves telling a story through images, a universal language with immediate impact. Used in a wide variety of fields, including advertising, marketing, public relations and corporate communications, it has become a strategic and creative tool.

This approach has found its way into the world of labels, to capture the attention and engagement of consumers. At labelletiquette.fr, we see that labels are increasingly used to tell compelling stories, capable of creating a direct, emotional link with consumers.

Historical and artistic references

The label featured in this article, Infinitum Effugere, was entirely designed by our teams as part of an imaginary concept. It won third place in the “Label Printer of the Year” category at the Druck & Medien Awards in Berlin in 2022.
Its design tells the story of a young couple on the run, where light and darkness, known and unknown, confront each other at the heart of the narrative.

“In the mist of darkness, a young couple moves from the light into the unknown. They have no idea that they are passing through an invisible door, a threshold from which there is no turning back. From that moment, their world becomes darker and more chaotic. The edge of the label takes on a unique shape, the left-hand side transforming into a dark, mysterious forest, with the only sources of light being the golden fireflies and the Latin, embossed text from De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things) by the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius.”

Emir Ramic, label designer

The word Infinitum (“infinite”) is distinguished by its curved gilding, with effugere (“to flee”) placed just below in black hot stamping. These technical choices directly reflect the label’s visual narrative.

The label tells its own story through its characters, landscapes and carefully chosen details, creating a universe that everyone can explore in their own way. Looking at it, one naturally wonders: Why is the couple fleeing? Where do they come from? Where are they going? The answers are not limited to the designer’s vision: they can also be found in the artistic and literary references that have nourished this creation.

• The couple depicted is inspired by the French painting L’Orage (La Tempête) by Pierre Auguste Cot (1880). The artist himself is said to have taken his inspiration from Bernardin de Saint-Pierre’s novel Paul et Virginie, in which the two protagonists use a garment to protect themselves from a sudden downpour. There are also possible influences from the ancient Greek novel Daphnis et Chloé by Longus (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a).
• The scene of the castle and aqueduct comes from the painting Soir : paysage avec aqueduc by Théodore Géricault (1818), inspired by his travels in Italy (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, b).

“There are many more details to discover, but each viewer is encouraged to explore and interpret them for themselves. We hope the label sparks engaging conversations. It can be seen as an ode to the artists of past eras, whose work should not only be found in museums but accessible everywhere, for everyone.”

Emir Ramic, Label designer

Certain questions are deliberately left unanswered, inviting everyone to appropriate the story and complete it with their own imagination. Silences and omissions thus become creative tools, transforming the label into a personal and immersive experience.

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Why storytelling makes all the difference

Why does this label and its storytelling work so well? There are several key reasons:

1. Tension: A good story is often based on a starting point, a conflict and a resolution. Here, tension arises from open questions, emotional contrasts and partial information. The viewer becomes curious and naturally involved in the story.
2. Associations: Whether myths, historical events or familiar references, what we recognize attracts our attention. These elements awaken memories and emotions, reinforcing engagement with the label.
3. Emotions: Heroes, lovers, antagonists… When we identify with the characters, we experience the story emotionally. And what moves us, we want to share: that’s how the message stays in people’s minds.
   Storytelling can influence behavior, impart knowledge and entertain. Applied to labels, it becomes a real tool: it captures attention, brings the brand to life and leaves a lasting impression.

Labels, storytelling and QR codes

Thanks to QR codes, simply scanned with a smartphone, labels can provide access to online content such as images, videos or interactive experiences. With digital printing, you can easily and cost-effectively integrate QR codes into your labels via labelletiquette.fr. So the story doesn’t stop at the label: it comes to life on the web, offering rich, interactive experiences. Visual storytelling becomes an immersive, multi-media experience.

As a modern online label printer, we keep a close eye on trends and innovations to inspire and support you every step of the way. Any questions? You can reach us by phone on +33 (0)4 81 68 19 73 or by e-mail at info@labelletiquette.fr. We’ll be delighted to help!

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Sources

Radü, J. (2019). New Digital Storytelling: Anspruch, Nutzung und Qualität von Multimedia-Geschichten. Nomos. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783845299273-25

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (a). The Storm. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435997

The Metropolitan Museum of Art (b). Evening: Landscape with an Aqueduct. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436455

Wikipedia. (2026, 2 February). Storytelling (method). Retrieved 18 March 2026, from https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storytelling_(Methode)