How do topics of authenticity affect the business world today and how can more awareness be created in order for a deeper connection between the business world and people to take place? Here are some thoughts to think on the importance of diversity and authenticity in imagery.
Thinking About Diversity Outside of the Box
When someone in your conversation circle throws out the word “diversity”, what do you think of? Do you think of race and color? How about gender? Religion? For the most part, and I think I can speak on behalf of many people that when we hear the word diversity we think these common things at first and although we are not wrong, there’s more to what diversity means. Lean in with me on this for a minute, what if diversity isn’t just what we see first, it’s what we think first? In culture today we tend to see skin before we know the person. We hear accents and language before we know their background. We see tradition and culture before we know the story of their life. We look at what we see before we ask about what we don’t see. What if diversity starts as mindset before it starts with what we see? And what does this have to do with photography and business?
Imagery Is Just Good Business
There has been a big shift in companies and businesses today that aim to make diversity something that everyone can feel comfortable with and experience the feeling of belonging, but the finish line is still far away. While imagery has and is still a major component in business representation all over the world when it comes to driving success, there is room for more authentic and diverse representation across the board.
Why Is Diversity and Authenticity in Imagery Important in Business?
- Representation
Businesses need to connect with their audience, and they need conversions. A major way a business represents itself is through imagery, specifically photography. How dull would it be if every single picture you saw that represented a business had the same thing of absolutely everything and everyone in them? Where’s creativity in that? Where’s the pizzazz in four people who look like clones standing beside each other in a pose? Where is the diversity in that? What is authentic about the message you’re trying to get out there? If you want your business to be known in your community, your city and even your country as one that prides itself on great representation, then having diversity at the forefront is vital.
Visual Advertising Is Always a Powerhouse
As I'm sure you have noticed at one point or another businesses more than often use people as their main source of visual marketing. It’s rare to see a commercial on television or an add on Instagram without a human being in the image. We connect to commercials if we see people like us in certain situations. People are more likely to respond in a positive manner this way because it’s affirming and reassuring. To go one step further, to see diversity being represented shows viewers like you and I that this business or that company realizes and values humans and their uniqueness.
Scopio’s images are sourced from up-and-coming visual content creators from 160 different countries.
- Brand Value
How well your brand does hinges highly on how well you advertise. Walk into a major clothing retail store and what do you see on the walls? For the most part, you see individuals modeling the clothing that you are about to try on and either discard or purchase. It’s nice walking into your favorite store and having diversity in the choices of fashion and style, but can we also say that it's welcoming to know that your favorite store has diversity in who they choose to display their fashion? I think we definitely can. I myself have walked into some places in the past and every single poster hanging up had the same skin color, same body shape, and same you name it. There was nothing special about it. We see a lot of major retailer chains making that transition into having different ethnicity and body shapes lined up on walls you stroll past and that is a major help in how customers view the brand. Brands that aren’t afraid to say “we accept authentic diversity” in their imagery are the same brands that are excelling today. If you want your brand to grow and customers to continue buying your product, being a company that promotes diversity and acceptance in all people can’t be anything but just business savvy.
- Cultural Acceptance
Looking back over the recent years you can see changes taking place with visual advertising and representation through imagery. There is more work to do though. Integrating different ethnicities, religions, genders and cultural backgrounds still seems to be a taboo subject with a lot of business, although perhaps not always intentionally. There needs to be a higher level of awareness to how rapidly our world is changing before us and it isn’t going to slow down.
Catching Up To the Pace of Technology
Technology is climbing the proverbial ladder faster than most of us can keep up with; myself included. What was once done with a hand written letter on horseback can now be accomplished with a few finger taps and a send button. Our communities and cities are becoming deeper connected every day and with it diversity has become a shining beacon that was once just a flame hovering over a candle. The commercial parts of society is catching up and imagery is the focal point of how the message is getting out, our job is to make our audience feel included. Many businesses see this potential, especially small businesses who can stand out with the photos they use. To paraphrase a great steward of change, “If we want to see change, we need to be the ones to make change.”In the business world, that proverb speaks just as loud and should be practiced by all.
Cheers to What is Ahead
Our communities, streets and cities are packed full with wonderful and unique individuals. These are just the people that the world needs to see as companies big or small, businesses private or world wide use images to represent who they are, what they offer, and their mission of impacting this world. Authenticity is a form of diversity in itself. Diversity in imagery has the capability of changing how people view others and this crazy big world we live in. What if every business used their platform to show just how unique we can be? What if every business started with a simple window poster or social media add? Just think of how much we could grow; think of how much your business could grow.
With Scopio, all-encompassing image licenses on diverse images make sure you won’t be limited in terms of what you can do with the images you download (unless you’re prepared to shell out some serious cash for extended or commercial-friendly licenses). It can be difficult to find an image-licensing site without tiered pricing based on licenses or image quality. Regardless, you still deserve the photos that really make an impression. They’ll accompany a story—your design—so there’s no reason to set things back with a lackluster image.
We consider Scopio be like the Netflix of stock subscriptions: You only have to deal with one monthly fee (that covers nearly all commercial uses), and the content is curated specifically for designers, agencies and other types of creatives. With an all-inclusive license, you’ll be able to publish the images in a variety of different uses, including:
- Online advertisements
- TV and print advertisements
- Website designs
- Social media posts and stories
- Templates
- Calendars
- PowerPoint presentations
- Print designs for physical spaces
- Visual pitch packs for TV and video projects
- Documentaries
- Product packaging
Uses aren’t limited to these cases, either, and you can use the photos as many times as you’d like after downloading.
Leave a comment