Think About It

A previous client of ours decided to save some money by using a stock photography image of a globe for their Web site. A few weeks after the launch of the site, the company CEO received a mail solicitation for a popular credit card. When he saw the image on the direct mail piece, he almost fainted. You guessed it: It was the exact same globe they were using on their site. How, he asked, could that happen?

The answer is that stock photography and imagery are available to anybody in the world. So while this client did save a little money, they ended up with a look that was somewhat generic.

How can you get a more distinctive look? Custom photography. Unfortunately, many people think that custom photography is just for the rich, not for mid-sized businesses with limited budgets.

The truth is, custom photography is for anyone who wants imagery that reflects their unique brand. Period.

The importance of custom images has grown in recent years. More designers than ever are poring through the same portfolios of stock images. When you use a stock image in today's design environment, chances are pretty good that sooner or later - probably sooner - you're going to end up like our friend the CEO, seeing the image you've purchased on somebody else's marketing materials.

The stock houses know about this problem. To combat overuse, they now offer rights managed images, which means they charge premium prices on select shots. Sure, it works - higher prices mean fewer buyers, which means rarer appearances for those images. But if you are going to spend money on a rights-managed premium stock image, why not have custom photography for just a little more - and maybe a little less?

Some of the biggest benefits of custom work are:

• You get images that express your brand and your message. We've seen clients develop a strategic advertising campaign, then throw it right out the window because they couldn't find the right stock image. With custom imagery, you never have to compromise your message to fit what's available.
• You create an honest rendition of who you are, using your people, products and environment. This can be the foundation for a trusting relationship between your brand and your audience.
• You look different from everyone else. So you don't live in fear that the great image you found will be on a competitor's home page tomorrow.