"If you could say it in words, there'd be no reason to paint." Speaking to the value of artistic expression, American realist painter Edward Hopper would have most certainly extended his candor to the field of illustration.

Having recently thumbed through pages of ads in a stack of dusty, antique magazines, it’s remarkable to see how illustration visually carved brand identities and cultural ideals. Masters like J.C. Leyendecker defined Coca-Cola as an all-American brand in its early days. Norman Rockwell painted, and sold, an idyllic portrait of living on the covers of The Saturday Evening Post and in countless advertisements. These illustrated ads, while dated by today’s standards, still have stopping power—a creative goal that never goes out of style.

But what is it about illustration that mesmerizes us? Is it the unexpected, handcrafted feel of a well-done piece of art? Perhaps it’s the impossible combination of color, lighting and expression that falls outside the reach of photography, only to be realized through the brilliance of the illustrator? While there may not be a single answer to such a subjective question, there are some compelling reasons to consider the added value of custom illustration.

1. Conceptualizing the “big idea:” Sometimes words and photography aren’t enough to capture the desired creative effect and nuance of a campaign, such as grandness, intrigue, excitement or a specific emotion. Illustration raises the ceiling of possibilities and allows us to show the larger story exactly as envisioned in the mind’s eye.

2. Simplicity and Practicality: Educating prospects on complex processes or structures can be challenging. For example, capturing process steps in a production facility through photography or video can be daunting: Lighting issues, obstructions, enclosed areas, distances between production areas, less than ideal aesthetics… the list goes on. It is in these conditions that illustration becomes the preferred method of visualization, giving audiences a cleaner, simpler, more digestible presentation.

3. Differentiation: Nobody wants to be a “me, too.” At a recent tradeshow I noted that three exhibitors shared one thing in common: The same royalty-free stock image prominently displayed on their booths. Sure, they saved a few bucks, but the money they spent did nothing to differentiate their companies in a highly competitive environment. Looking back, it wasn’t a very powerful image selection, but one that could have been made much more distinctive and impactful by an illustrator.

Some may say that illustration is dead. But in an age when graphic imaging software has leveled the field and boxed creative into canned, predictable effects, I believe there is an opportunity for custom illustration to make a resurgence. Hopefully, I’ve illustrated my point.