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. License these images via ImageFlow and Sarunyu_foto.
Slide 1
Thanks for joining us! Today, I am thrilled to announce the launch of Organic Home Cleaner, an eco-friendly cleaning product that actually works. License this image via dba87.
Slide 2
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. License this image via Prostock-studio.
Slide 3
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. License this image via dezy.
Slide 4
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. License this image via Andrii Iemelianenko.
Slide 5
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. License this image via Nadin76.
Slide 6
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? License this image via fotaro100.
Slide 7
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. License this image via images72.
Slide 8
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. License this image via Fahroni.
Slide 9
The brand feel, as reflected by the packaging and all comms, is both natural and scientific—leaning on beautiful plant/nature imagery while also feeling lightly technical. It’s natural for folks who wouldn’t call themselves “granola.” License this image via Uhryn Larysa.
Slide 10
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? License this image via MarkHooperGloucester.
Slide 11
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. License this image via ParasharMangela.
Slide 12
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. License this image via Westend61 on Offset.
Slide 13
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. License this image via denis kalinichenko.
Slide 14
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. License this image via Maria Sbytova.
Slide 15
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. License this image via Pixel-Shot.
Slide 16
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. License this image via Jacob Lund.…