The Importance of Advertising Photo and Video Assets
by Michelle Henriques

The Importance of Advertising Photo and Video Assets

June 2024

As the owner of a digital ad agency in Phoenix, I often get asked for advice on all things marketing and if you read this blog on the regular, you know I’m not shy about giving it. I do get this question a lot … “What is the one thing that I can do to improve my company’s marketing efforts?”

My answer is a relatively simple one and it boils down to this:

Invest in the right imagery (still and video) for your marketing collateral that is properly reflective of your product or service while also emphasizing your key differentiating brand attributes.

I say it just like that because that answer has lots of big words that make me sound smart.

And yet, it’s patently true. There, you can stop reading now (but please don’t).

There are multiple challenges when it comes to proper brand imagery and just how to make it a more impactful component of your marketing efforts. I’m here to help you make better decisions and provide you with a few resources that might help you positively impact what your customers and potential customers see when they are engaging your brand.

Why Are Images and Video So Important for Effective Advertising?

This gets back to how our brain works. As we process words, colors, imagery, etc we are formulating an impression. Sophisticated brands know this. Humans who are a little overwhelmed (aka everyone) or who are engaging your ad message on a surface level (aka everyone) oftentimes don’t take time to get beyond the imagery and perhaps a tagline.

A great example of an effective use of imagery is Pepsi. They support their ad efforts with static and video imagery of people having fun while enjoying their product. It’s not a toxic sugary substance that is probably shortening your life, it’s a refreshing drink that makes good times even better. This goal is accomplished with decades of imagery and taglines that make your brain (and your wallet) perceive their product in a positive light.

According to the internet (which is markedly smarter than I am), ad viewers use mental imagery to visualize themselves engaging in products, receiving services, or visiting places when exposed to imagery. Density-rich imagery ads are highly persuasive and encourage consumers to visualize themselves taking part in the advertised product or service.

The internet goes on to say that “The more people are aware of your brand, the more likely they are to engage with it and consider your products or services. By using imagery that aligns with your brand identity and effectively communicates your message, you can effortlessly enhance brand awareness and attract new customers …”

All that makes sense. To me, it all boils down to making an effort to make sure all forms of your marketing are supported by the best images and video possible so that you don’t spend money trying to influence someone’s behavior with substandard imagery.

Now before you go grab your checkbook to hire an expensive photographer or videographer (or both) … know that I am here to help. You see, lots of companies feel that simple stock imagery and photography using their phone will suffice. It doesn’t. You can use your phone for social media posts and perhaps a photo of that fish you caught but beyond that, leave it in your pocket.

Solutions for Businesses Looking to Improve Their Brand Imagery

If you own a business and you’ve got substandard imagery or video on your collateral marketing assets, there are a couple of solutions you should consider to improve your ability to attract new customers.

1. Photographer/videographer – this is your best option as long as it’s done properly. As a business owner, your inclination is to try and save money here. That just makes sense as you have plenty of people and government entities that are always making a run at your profits. The idea here is to find the right person and the right resource for your needs. A security door company (for instance) might look to hire a simple real estate photographer who is adept at taking great entry photos while a local casino may look to hire someone who can shoot high-end videography and stills that reflect the experience they are trying to convey to consumers. It’s important here to err on quality as opposed to compromising to save a few dollars. Simply put, quality imagery represents your product in its best light

2. Stock imagery – wait, didn’t you say NOT to use stock imagery? Well, yes but no. Before I sound too much like one of my exes, let me explain. In some cases, stock imagery is a better way to depict your brand in the absence of professional photography. There are free resources where images might be overused and there are paid services where that is less common. Either way, when stock imagery is used, the goal is to have the proper access/resources to find an image that isn’t overused. There are lots of stock images/stock video companies … as with lots of things, you get what you pay for. At ReThinc we use Getty as our primary source for stock imagery or videography. In some cases we use Unsplash. Both have free and paid options for you to choose from.

What’s SUPER IMPORTANT is for you to use images that are properly licensed for you to use. You can’t pull images off the world wide web for your own use as that can result in copyright infringement which is about as much fun as kidney stones.

3. Manufacturer images – depending on what your business does, oftentimes there are images available upstream from manufacturers whose products you use in the commission of your business. Let’s say you remodel bathrooms … the manufacturer of the fixtures you install or the tile you use may have some images you can use for your marketing purposes.

4. Stock imagery – wait, didn’t you say NOT to use stock imagery? Well, yes but no. Before I sound too much like one of my exes, let me explain. In some cases, stock imagery is a better way to depict your brand in the absence of professional photography. There are free resources where images might be overused and there are paid services where that is less common. Either way, when stock imagery is used, the goal is to have the proper access/resources to find an image that isn’t overused. There are lots of stock images/stock video companies … as with lots of things, you get what you pay for. At ReThinc we use Getty as our primary source for stock imagery or videography. In some cases we use Unsplash. Both have free and paid options for you to choose from.

What’s SUPER IMPORTANT is for you to use images that are properly licensed for you to use. You can’t pull images off the world wide web for your own use as that can result in copyright infringement which is about as much fun as kidney stones.

Videography can be expensive but when done right, it can make a world of difference. Finding a good videographer isn’t tough, but finding one that won’t break the bank is like finding a unicorn. For people who don’t know, shooting video looks easy. The problem being that there is usually much more time put into editing than shooting which makes the process more costly than one might imagine. At ReThinc, we’re fortunate to have a GREAT videography partner … so good, in fact, that we’re not going to tell you who they are.

The challenge of owning/operating your own business can be daunting. The economy, labor costs, taxes, insurance, logistical needs, and building expenses all lend themselves to cutting corners on marketing. Whereas this is understandable, the one thing you cannot do is skimp on imagery when promoting your brand.  

If you’re looking to upgrade your imagery you should do so at your earliest possible convenience.  If you’re looking for someone else to do this for you, you can send me an email at ed.olsen@rethincadvertising.com or give me a call at 602.284.6722.

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