MadCap Marketing and Creative has been in the social media game for a while now, so we’ve learned a thing or two (and we’re going to share some secrets with you!) Keeping up with trends isn’t just about hopping on the latest bandwagon; it’s about developing unique marketing strategies that resonate and deliver results. We’re going to talk a little about photos this month. What to do; what not to do; and importantly…why?!
Audiences are moving away from polished, overly curated images. Ditch the heavy filters and show a more natural side of your brand. People love seeing imperfections; after all, it’s what makes us real! This isn’t to say that even the most skillfully captured image won’t require some professional editing, but let’s keep things recognizable. The way to create a better image is to spend less time looking at technical stuff and more time looking for inspiration to push your creativity to get the result you want.
Music producer Rick Rubin succinctly says, “No matter what tools you use to create, the true instrument is you.” This rings true with many creative professionals. You can have the most expensive or exclusive tools, but if you don’t have the drive or creative vision, they won’t be worth anything.
The most profound connection between customers and companies is an emotional connection. If you construct a positive mental image, such as a better life, a fond memory, or a better home instead of merely showing the product, you can form an emotional bond with the customer who gets the privilege of conjuring up their own personal image to use as a point of reflection. Companies have the opportunity to identify a customer’s aspirations and pain points. Then, a photographer can take those to promote the product through the image. Kodak, for example, already understood emotional connection in the 1940s. So, instead of showing images of the camera, they showed what the cameras could do. As a result, they built an emotional bond with the customer. They sold the customer on what they could create with the product, not what was already created for them.
The trend that we hope never goes away is creativity and vision. If companies are trusting the creative process of professionals in marketing, the chances that the result is what they were hoping for increases greatly. High-quality, authentic photos that excite and engage your audience are going to take us through the end of 2025 and into the future.