If you are a business, bourgeoning or otherwise, the hard reality about the importance of having a well-tailored brand aesthetic on social media may be a tough pill to swallow. While you may be shouting in exasperation, “It’s social media, for God’s sake!” (and we totally get you there), imagery is a big part of branding and marketing.
As a digital marketing company that has been successfully helping our clients navigate the at-times murky waters of social for over a decade, we know a thing or two about how audiences of all walks of life respond to high-caliber imagery. And to be fair, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist (or social media influencer) to understand why.
A Short History of Imagery and Branding
The first of what is now looked on as modern-day advertising dates back to the 15th and 16th century, alongside the advent of the printing press. In the 17th century, weekly newspapers in cities such as London began producing advertisements. By the 18th century, advertising was well on its way to be the behemoth industry that it is today. And just to round out some knowledge, the 20th century is when the United States saw the establishment of advertising agencies.
Unless you’ve just walked out of Plato’s cave, you have been exposed to the impacts of advertising daily. From magazine racks and highway billboards to tv commercials and the now ever-popular sponsored posts, advertising has been a way of life for, well, your entire life.
How we react to given images has been studied and focus-grouped over and over again. It’s been microcosmed down to fun catch phrases that we all use to rationalize the decisions that advertising and marketing execs have made for decades, such as: “sex sells.”
So, why is it still so important to play into the past if marketing and advertising should, in theory, be constantly evolving and forward-thinking?
Marketing Is About Your Audience
While we do firmly believe that audiences are getting savvier by the day, we also know that big change is evolutionary; it takes time. We also know that in order for any marketing campaign to be successful, it has to cater to the audience’s needs, wants, desires and their comfort level.
No matter which way you slice it, we are as a society very comfortable in the idea of buying what we may deem as unattainable. Buying what we find to be of value because it looks nice in that photo.
See where we’re going with this?
By taking the time to put in the effort and in some cases, the dollars, to create custom, professional photography – you can elevate your brand to being one that is both desirable and attainable at the same time.
Whether you are a service provider like a web designer or a product like a shoe company, custom photography will set you apart by helping to bridge the gap between the consumer and your brand. Glossy images of your team or your product can, in essence, forge a connection between you and your consumer. Don’t get us wrong – it’s not going to drive home the sale. It’s just the catalyst. But what a catalyst it is.