How many times have you sat through a business presentation only to have the speaker read bullet point after bullet point, slide after slide? Probably way too many times to count. Text-heavy PowerPoint presentations can all start to blend together. What’s a presenter to do when they want to ensure their slides stand out?
Next time you’re presenting, try Pecha Kucha instead.
By prioritizing brevity and visual storytelling, Pecha Kucha is a 180-degree departure from traditional presentations—instantly making any topic more memorable, effective, and engaging.
Here’s what you need to know to become a Pecha Kucha presentation pro.
What Is a Pecha Kucha?
Originating from the Japanese phrase for “chit chat,” the Pecha Kucha method revolves around a single principle: Speak less and show more.
To do that, Pecha Kucha presentations follow a strict format:
- No text—only photos!
- 20 slides
- 20 seconds per slide
No matter how complex your topic might be, you’ve got exactly six minutes and 40 seconds to get your point across. By working within these specific limitations, presenters are challenged to be extremely intentional about every aspect of the presentation—proving that less really is more.
3 Quick Tips for Effective Pecha Kucha Imagery
If you had to answer the question, “What is Pecha Kucha about?”, the answer is simple: imagery, imagery, imagery. Follow these three best practices to make sure your imagery makes an impression.
1. Choose High-Quality Stock Photos
When the sole focus of your slides is imagery, those images had better look great! It’s not only important to look for quality in the authenticity of your stock photography, but also quality in resolution.
Make sure your images are high resolution and won’t look blurry or pixelated even when displayed on a large screen. This is especially important if you’re giving your presentation onstage.
2. Don’t Be Too Literal
One of the biggest mistakes Pecha Kucha presenters make is being too literal with their imagery. Extremely on-the-nose photos (think: a marketer looking frustrated at a computer when talking about marketing challenges) often come across as cheesy or low effort.
Instead of choosing exact representations, go with images that are more evocative, emotional, conceptual, or metaphorical.
An image about marketing challenges, for instance, might be better served with a person walking forward with determination on a long road. Select images based more on color, mood, undertone, or vibe, as much as literal content.
3. Keep It Simple
With only 20 seconds on the clock for each slide, simple imagery works best. You want people to “get it” right away instead of struggling to analyze what’s on the screen while also trying to hear what you’re saying.
Keep images clear and recognizable, so they’ll serve as a natural, non-distracting backdrop for your speech.
Pecha Kucha Example: Slides & Speaker Notes
Pecha Kucha presentations are most common in creative fields like design, architecture, and photography—but their innovative visual approach is also perfect for business!
To see what we mean, check out the fully built-out Pecha Kucha example below, speaker notes and all.
In this beautiful PowerPoint presentation, we’re announcing a hypothetical product launch of Organic Home Cleaner, using stock imagery to tell the story, communicate objectives, and gain buy-in.
Slide 1 Speaker Notes
License these images via ImageFlow and Sarunyu_foto.
Thanks for joining us! Today, I am thrilled to announce the launch of Organic Home Cleaner, an eco-friendly cleaning product that actually works.
Slide 2 Speaker Notes
A few months ago, I was walking in the cleaning aisle with my seven-year-old. She picked up a blue bottle of spray cleaner (you know the one) and tried reading the ingredients.
Let’s just say it didn’t go well. . . . If I’m being honest, I didn’t fare all too much better.
Slide 3 Speaker Notes
And we’re not alone. As recent sales reports have shown, our customers’ preferences have significantly changed in recent years. Folks who were once happy to use anything and everything are now much more judicious in what they buy.
They’re looking at labels, and asking questions.
Slide 4 Speaker Notes
Our customers not only want cleaning products that kill the germs and smell nice—they want to know every single ingredient in that product (and trust that they can pronounce them).
They want products that are 100% safe for their kids and pets . . . without compromising on effectiveness.
Slide 5 Speaker Notes
As we know, this has been a huge challenge for our industry. I myself have often wondered, “What on earth is perchloroethyl. Huh?”
Effective cleaning ingredients can seem caustic and overly chemicalized, while more natural ingredients (let’s face it) often fail to do the job beyond adding the nice, natural scent of lemons or lavender.
Until now.
Slide 6 Speaker Notes
Organic Home Cleaner fills a critical market gap and speaks to the growing number of consumers who care about safety and environmental impact, just as much as a clean and tidy home.
What good is a fresh scent and clean appearance if it’s just making harmful germs and bacteria?
Slide 7 Speaker Notes
Unlike the competition, Organic Home Cleaner comes with independent lab testing for every ingredient, along with peer-reviewed scientific studies. This product line is based on radical transparency and evidence-based R&D.
It may cost more and take a bit more effort to execute, but this is something I wouldn’t compromise on—for my family or yours.
Slide 8 Speaker Notes
At the same time, though, it smells great (hint hint: lemongrass) and feels familiar. If you walked through the lab like I did, you’d never be able to tell which product was “different.”
They all felt like something I already have under my kitchen sink. Minus the harsh chemicals.
Slide 9 Speaker Notes
The brand feel is both natural and scientific—leaning on beautiful plant/nature imagery while also feeling lightly technological. It’s natural for folks who wouldn’t call themselves “granola.”
Slide 10 Speaker Notes
Organic Home Cleaner is really an extension of our customers’ deepest values. It was born out of a question we’ve all asked at some time or another in our lives: Aren’t some things—like family—worth investing in?
Slide 11 Speaker Notes
Our customers are savvy to typical “marketing speak” and won’t let the wool be pulled over their eyes. They’re tired of greenwashing and (without knowing it) are looking for something exactly like Organic Home Cleaner’s brand-new cleaning product.
Slide 12 Speaker Notes
License these images via nazarovsergey, Cast Of Thousands, and 5PH.
So, how will we get it out there? Our marketing roadmap includes three key components: a national paid media campaign, a social media influencer program, and partnerships/direct sales with key local grocers.
Slide 13 Speaker Notes
Paid media budget will be allocated to podcast ads, YouTube ads, and PPC. We’ll create cohesiveness by using one (or similar) stock photos, and editing them directly from there.
This will help create recognizability for Organic Home Cleaner’s product, reaching our customers during the best moments of their days—catching up on favorite shows or driving to meet friends after work.
Slide 14 Speaker Notes
I would also see Organic Home Cleaner as I’m scrolling through my daily feeds, from Instagram to TikTok (#CleanTok). I’d see my favorite influencers breaking it down, ingredient by ingredient—earning my trust as a consumer, who always spends time researching before buying.
Slide 15 Speaker Notes
While social media will be a critical component of our go-to-market strategy, retail partnerships are likely to drive the most sales.
That’s why we’ve carefully selected independently owned local grocers—the kind of shops that sustain my community. The ones that love seeing my kids grow up year after year.
The ones where family comes first.
Slide 16 Speaker Notes
In line with our target market and USP, pricing for Organic Home Cleaner is notably higher than our competitors, which reflects the rigor of our safety testing.
As an Organic Home Cleaner parent, I firmly believe that quality should cost more—and my kids are worth it.
Slide 17 Speaker Notes
Post-launch, we will host a series of focus groups to measure market response and customer satisfaction. We expect to use these results as social proof for future marketing campaigns. (And, as my browsing history attests, there’s nothing like a great review to make me hit that “buy” button.)
Slide 18 Speaker Notes
Of course, no launch is completely hitch-free, so we’ve drafted mitigation plans for the top-two threats: disruptions in manufacturing (due to supply chain issues) and delays in online order fulfillment.
Slide 19 Speaker Notes
With these strategies in place, Organic Home Cleaner is poised to capture significant market share among increasingly conscientious, eco-focused consumers.
Slide 20 Speaker Notes
License these images via LukeProject, naulicrea, and AKaiser.
It’s been tested, patented, and validated by hundreds of focus group participants. Join me in getting it out into the world—starting with our own homes.
As you exit the room, you’ll see a freshly stocked table with Organic Home Cleaner, please take one home and share it with your family.
Breathe Life into Your Presentations with Pecha Kucha
Your turn! From product launches to creative pitches and process reviews, Pecha Kucha is the fresh approach your marketing and business presentations need.
Looking for a quick and easy place to begin? Get started with Shutterstock’s library of 600 million images. With more than 200,000 new stock photos added daily, you’ll never be at a loss for great imagery!
Need beautiful photography to form the foundation of your Pecha Kucha presentation? We’ve got you covered. With Shutterstock Flex, you’ll have all-in-one access to our massive library, plus the FLEXibility you need to select the perfect mix of assets every time.
License these cover images via Westend61 on Offset, fotaro100, Westend61 on Offset, images72, and Eloisa Ramos / Westend61 on Offset.
