We are constantly inundated with marketing imagery all. day. long. It’s part of our every day life from a trip to the grocery store, the tiny TV screens on the gas pumps, in your favorite magazine, on Netflix, on city buses, in your mailbox, hiding in your social media feeds.. it’s literally everywhere. As constant consumers, if has become easy for us to tell when an ad just doesn’t feel right – a little too forced, a little too sterile or just doesn’t quite seem to fit the message that business tends to send in their general marketing. Why is that? Likely because those images are stock photos. Stock imagery can be purchased on various websites and are meant to act as general, non-specific imagery that can be used by all kinds of people and businesses in different scenarios. Obviously, this creates an automatic disconnect between the business, the target audience and the community they are trying to serve because these photos aren’t representing the actual business or product. They are instead images that could be used by any company all over the world in sharing very different messages. Stock photography certainly has its place, but I can tell you with certainty that its place is not in creating successful, purposeful branding for your own business.
By choosing to work with a photographer that can help create personalized imagery for your business, you are showing your target audience that you care about relating to them and are interested in showing off your product in the most authentic way possible. Your imagery should be an extension of your business through color theory, creative styling and engaging scenes that speak to your target audience. Thoughtful, authentic images will inherently support and help to build your business identity, overall business and brand authenticity. Great branding and brand authenticity will allow your customers to identify your ads and your business in one glance. Think Target, Crate and Barrel or Apple. We all know these ads and products when we see them because these companies have done an impeccable job of creatine brand authenticity.
I’ve worked with so many businesses over the years that have allowed me to help build their brand identity and authenticity including Binyon Vision Center, Trove Cannabis, Agni, Nuun Hydration, Skagit Valley Co-op and so many more! Click here to see other example of business branding, food and product sessions!
Want to talk further about creating thoughtful, authentic, engaging lifestyle imagery for your business? Reach out to me today!
Below are some examples of branded content I have worked to create for other businesses choosing to steer clear of stock photography.
Quarterly work with Haggen Food and Pharmacy! We worked together to create magazines for customers that included recipes, inspiration and authentic photos of the food they sell in their stores.
Binyon Vision Center and I have worked together many times over the years to create content that showcases their office space + employees, studio work that highlights the huge variety of frame styles and colors they offer and lifestyle sessions to help take that gorgeous eyewear and put it in the hands of their target audience!
Alluvial Farms and I worked together seasonally to photograph their farm over various time of year- the pigs growing up, the farm they have built from the ground up and the recipes using their fresh, pasture raised pork. All tree of these different kinds of sessions have given them content they need for different marketing campaigns.
Rads Pepper Sauce is a local Bellingham hot sauce company that wanted to update their imagery for social media and web content- and for a new cookbook they will be featured in! We were able to get a set of lifestyle headshots as well as some action shots of the product in this session.
Comphy Co. and I work together to capture their soft, airy bedding and use strategic lighting techniques, texture and styling to create an engaging, welcoming scene their customers want to jump right into.
