I've mentioned this a few times in class and it dovetails with the idea of being pop-culture literate, but the importance of Family Feud should not be underestimated.
Hosted by the slightly inappropriate Richard Dawson in the 70s and 80s and now in the hands of the Steve Harvey who adds his own flair to the show, it features teams (families) trying to guess the most popular answers to questions.
How is this remotely tied to visual communication?
As a designer, you'll need to connect with your audiences in new, unique, and interesting ways. If you always approach the problem through the lens of the #1 answer, folks will very likely get it, but their interest might not be piqued. If your approach isn't even on the board, there's a good chance that it will fly over the heads of your audience. However, you might look to the #2 or #3 answer to find a solution that is familiar, but a bit unexpected...
Sometimes what you think might be the right-and-proper way to approach something isn't actually the most natural or effective.
... And in the instance above, we see the importance of at least landing on the board. Why does this matter? You're charged with connecting with your audiences — not future historians... not design award judges. In other words, you have to be the conduit via which your audience will make meaning and gain understanding. If you aren't able to help them connect the dots in ways that they can understand, appreciate or relate to, then you've failed.