08: How to Improve your Brand Image - step by step training episode

Photography

Browse any high-end magazine like a Vanity Fair or Vogue for a reminder of how much premier lifestyle brands value photography.  It is one of the most important assets in your marketing arsenal and a critical factor if you want to improve your brand image

Generally, you can break your photography down into two categories (I’ll cover both):

1. Product photography, whose primary purpose is to provide detailed views of the product to someone who may be considering purchasing it online or through a catalog.
2. Lifestyle photography, which is meant to associate your products with desirable people, experiences, and feelings.

So lets’ explore which factors have the most impact on improving your brand’s image through photography…

Lighting

Lighting is crucial to taking a high-quality photo. For product photography, this means bright lights that do not reflect off the product or cast any undesirable shadows.

When it comes to lifestyle photography, you’ll want to ensure that you have relatively flat, even light that does not cast harsh shadows across the product or the model. If shooting outside, you may require a reflector to augment the lighting of your shots. Here are a few techniques for getting outdoor lighting right

Models

It seems obvious but I’ll say it anyway: attractive models make your products appear more desirable. You may not have the budget for a supermodel, however spending a little extra to hire someone with modeling experience can make a huge difference to getting great photos and improve your brand image.

Styling & Locations

There’s nothing worse than reviewing photos that you’ve just spent a lot of time and money on, and noticing that hair is out of place, or something is off with the background that makes an otherwise perfect shot unusable

If you’re doing a lifestyle shoot, you should carefully plan clothing, accessories, props and locations. Scout locations in advance to choose angles and backgrounds before models are standing around waiting. Consider having somebody at the shoot dedicated to keeping an eye on makeup, hair, upturned collars etc. It will save you a lot of grief in post-production. If you want to up your game, you could even choose a theme that will inform your location and styling choices.

Shooting

When shooting products, you’ll want to shoot as many angles and use cases as possible. This’ll give viewers on the Internet more confidence when purchasing a product that they have not seen in person. If you’re selling clothes, you may need to consider whether you will show them on a model or off – or both.

In either case product photography works best when shot against a white or neutral background. You might consider purchasing a light box that ensures a consistent background and flat lighting, if appropriate for your products.

 

Design and Layout  

The main principle I apply to design and layouts is minimalism. Minimalism is not just about showing less, it’s about clarity. It is much more difficult to come up with one statement, image or design that represents your brand then simply throwing in as much as you can fit on the page – but if your goal is to improve your brand image, the effort is well worth it.

Minimalism

By surrounding your images or messages with negative space (or white space) , you’re unconsciously communicating a sense of clarity and focus that is typically associated with desirable brands.

Less is more, and taking the time to refine your message results in a premium perception. Avoid hyperbole and work hard to remove any words images or design details that are superfluous. Where appropriate, try to use a single image to convey an idea.

Consistency

Strong brands understand their essence and do their best to communicate this in every medium. If your photos, fonts, and overall design share a common visual aesthetic it will give your brand a perceived premium value.

You should choose no more than 2 or 3 different fonts and be very intentional about their use. The style of photography and other visual assets should also be consistent across all of your materials.

 

Social proof

Most people respond strongly to social influence. In other words, they are looking for cues and clues that whatever actions they take and believes they hold our aligned with society as a whole.  In aligning your products with notable people or publications,  as well as the positive sentiments of previous customers you will be improving your branding by giving it support and validation.

Press coverage

Sometimes the main value of press coverage is not the coverage itself, but the ability to leverage that coverage as social proof. SoYoung features the logos of major publications that have covered us on our homepage. Currently,