rhetoric in charts - Adidas

The Adidas 2008 annual report portrays an image of modernity, technology and constant movement, present in all the graphic elements. One factor contributing for the idea of movement is the use of arrowheads in the bar charts. Applying the arrows—also used in photographs and other graphical elements throughout the publication—to the bars not only convey movement, but also the idea that the bars are expanding in the direction the arrows point to. This way, even though the charts show accurate numbers, it looks like the variables—development, sales, income—are increasing.