Images can make or break how your brand connects with customers, influencers, media and more. Using images well is a blend of art and science. Here's some ideas to help you out.

1. Picture Perfect:
Using Images to Enhance a Brand
Katrina Klier
Global Managing Director Accenture, Digital Marketing
@KatrinaKlier
As included in PR University’s Webinar: Advanced Visual Marketing and PR
Boot Camp http://www.bulldogreporter.com/advanced-visual-marketing

2. Images and Image Style Help
Identify a Brand
Sourced from public data for presentation only

3. Options for Imagery
• Brand specific, unique
• Flexible design
• Easy product placement
• Flexible design post hoc
• Cost efficient
• Fast
Custom
• Expensive
• Lots of up front planning
CGI
• Tech expertise
• Works best for products
Stock
• Generic Imagery
• No design flexibility

4. Custom
Things to Consider
• Create unique, identifiable images that build
emotional connections to your brand
• Create differentiated looks through
lighting, color, staging and styling
• Negotiate licensing wisely –
publicity, collateral, advertising
• Planning is critical
• Clear communications are vital

5. Accenture
• Image is part of the story and anchors the message.
• Custom images create differentiation for the brand and
message.
• Custom images can be combined with photoshopping or
CGI work for further differentiation and refinement.
Source http://www.accenture.com/us-en/company/overview/advertising/Pages/brand-airport-advertising.aspx

6. CGI
Things to Consider
• Create composite images that convey a
specific mood or connection
• Requires more technical photography and
imagery composition skills
• Allows for flexibility in composition post hoc
• Can be more cost effective for large, complex
projects involving images with many
independent components

7. PHOTO
Ikea
Ikea’s catalogue is full of
complex composition imagery
and rendered 12% of its
content virtually in 2012. In
2013 they targeted 25%.
Source: http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390444508504577595414031195148
MODEL

8. Stock
Things to Consider
• Fast to buy and use; know exactly what you’re
buying
• Tends to include contemporary and generic
images so less flexibility in design
• Know your usage model so you can buy the
correct license
• Valuable for general imagery needs vs.
product or service specific needs

9. Cityscapes and general
architectural images are
easy to find as good
quality stock photos.
Crowd or general
background imagery,
especially with a motion
blur are also candidates for
stock photos

10. Images and SEO
• Images can benefit or detract from your SEO
• SEO is part of web and other digital design so
your images should factor in during the design
phase
• To help search engines understand what
message your images convey:
– Put Alt-tags on images
– Use descriptive file names

11. Social Media – Style Still Matters
Social Media image
Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/someone-needs-to-tell-martha-stewart-her-food-tweets-are-dis
http://www.marthastewart.com/1047309/seared-rib-eye-steak-smashed-potatoes
Website image

12. Great social media
images are less about
the device used
(phone, camera, etc.)
and more about
knowing how to use
that device effectively to
capture the qualities of
your brand in various
situations.
Source: - used for presentation only:
http://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/17830/1/nicola-formichetti-x-nick-knight
If employees are posting
images to your
corporate
channels, make sure
they have guidelines.

13. Thank You!