It’s so true what they say – a picture paints a thousand words. In order to make sure you are utilising the correct imagery for your brand, one needs experience, creative intuition and data in order to choose the element that best explains what you intend to communicate.
What if I don’t have access to this data or do not have a creative eye? One way to gain insight into which images resonate with your audience is by carrying out thorough research before selecting the image you wish to use.
Did you know that, once upon a time, Nike’s product catered almost exclusively to marathon runners? Then, a fitness craze emerged — where Nike’s marketing department knew they needed to take advantage of it to surpass their main competitor, Reebok. (At the time, Reebok was selling more shoes than Nike). And so, in the late 1980s, Nike created the “Just Do It.” campaign.
We all know how massively successful this campaign is as it remains the catch phrase for Nike presently. In 1988, Nike sales were at $800 million; by 1998, sales exceeded $9.2 billion. “Just Do It.” was short and sweet yet encapsulated everything people felt when they were exercising — and people still feel that feeling today. Don’t want to run five kilometers? Just Do It. Don’t want to walk up four flights of stairs? Just Do It. It’s a slogan we can all relate to: the drive to push ourselves beyond our limits.
What is the lesson in this? When you’re trying to decide the best way to present your brand, ask yourself: What problem are you solving for your customers? What solution does your product or service provide? By hitting on that core issue in all of your messaging and brand creatives, you’ll connect with consumers on an emotional level that is hard to ignore.
THINK STRATEGICALLY ABOUT CREATIVE ASSETS
As we navigate further down the marketing funnel, at this stage measurement is more immediate – therefore, understanding what is currently working is crucial. Google has confirmed that as much as 70% of ROI from digital advertising resides in the visuals. Furthermore, creative quality is 50% to 75% responsible for campaign success or failure, according to a study conducted by Dynamic Logic.
We can now with certainty connote that there is immense value in imagery. “Analysing creative ad performance is a challenge many businesses face”, according to Camilla Owen-Jones (Head of Design at Your Marketing Team). This being said, understanding which images work is manual, time-consuming and costly. There must be a better way?
Strategically selected images have been proven to grow views and boost conversion rates. Viewers are statistically more likely to consume content if they engage with the visuals initially. Images can quickly convey a message or mood for your brand which is key for social media platforms to perform. But, selecting an image with purpose is an often-overlooked aspect of marketing design. Below are a few tips from our very own Head of Design, Camilla:
- Always keep your brand in mind. Don’t choose an image just because it’s pretty. Depending on what you are trying to achieve you might choose dramatic or serious imagery however, the image has to represent your brand and be relevant to your audience.
- Create an emotional connection – Your goal is to connect with people through compelling ad design. Use pictures with people – photos that include people boost conversion rates by 95% or more. This is partially related to capturing emotion.
- Know your perfect customer: what is important to them? What does their day look like? If you can visualise that person and what they want, you can source better visuals that your audience will respond to.
- Design principles: Colour coordinate your visuals: It’s crucial to think carefully about colour, composition, typography, content and style work together to create different moods. Learn the basics of colour theory and typography to understand what message your brand images are sending. For example, dark colours and heavy fonts project seriousness; pale neutral palettes can give a modern or even futuristic vibe. Knowing your audience allows you to pick the design elements to focus on.
- Prioritise quality: People are more likely to leave a website or scroll past content if the images appear pixelated, blurry, or unprofessional. Never compromise on the quality of your images.
- Have a purpose: Too often people insert images on a website simply to fill space..This creates doubt about your brand. Don’t clutter your communication efforts and platforms, make sure every image and copy serves a purpose and carries meaning for your target audience.
- Keep a brand imagery folder as part of your CI: The images that make up your brand can appear in a variety of forms, from billboards to Instagram, websites to print ads. These images are more than visuals—they convey an emotion in the viewer building trust and confidence over time with repeated exposure.
Bring your visual marketing strategy to life by visiting a few of these great online stock image library resources for hi res, free photos:
Better yet, have your own professional photos taken of your service or product.
A STRATEGY FOR THE FUTURE
In a world where we are currently faced with the ‘New Normal’ due to Covid19, being empathetic and resonating with your audience has never mattered more. As we gradually move towards exploring the online retail sphere — digital advertising is crucial. Don’t spend money unnecessarily on brand creatives that are aesthetically pleasing. Your creatives/designs need to tell the story of your brand and deliver on the objectives you are trying to achieve in order to build sustainable business and stay ahead of your competitors.
