I recently discovered www.brandinsightblog.com, a business blog created by John Furgurson sharing his perceptions within the marketing world. One of his recent post on how using stock photos can hurt brand image particularly caught my interest, epescially after a crash course in class about customer service.

Its not uncommon for businesses to stumble into the unfortunate pool of visual cliche as stock photos of friendly, personable employees are plastered onto advertisements to reflect the health of the company.

While the charismatic smile of the employee in the photo charms consumers into believing that is the mood of the company, these stock photos can also hurt the company in such that it blends the company in with its competitors, thus losing its differentiation point.

“Stock photos don’t tell a story. That’s what makes them so universally appealing.”

– Senior Art Director, Eric Haag

The author mentions that credibility, relevance, and differentiation are key factors to a successful brand. With that in mind, companies looking to bring their product ahead of the game should seriously re-evaluate advertising strategies.

Instead of picking photos straight out of a catalogue, companies should produce their own and have images that truly represent the culture of the business.

Picture:
http://www.customersupport.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/iStock_000012107870XSmall.jpg