A while ago, I was asked to shoot corporate portraits for a multi-billion-dollar international insurance company. The communications director explained that the issue with the images on their website was that none of the people featured actually worked for the company. Every photo was a generic stock image of anonymous individuals.
The director admitted he was embarrassed by this. However, the company was more concerned about the cost of custom photography. In the end, they decided to stick with inexpensive stock images for their corporate identity. (Did I mention this is a *multi-billion-dollar* company?)
The irony is striking: this is an insurance company, an industry built on managing and reducing risk. Yet, the company is taking a huge identity risk by relying on photos that don’t reflect its true workforce.
An article on the Fair Trade Photographer blog highlights the risks associated with using stock images, a point further emphasized by the BBC, which reported on two Irish political parties using a nearly identical stock photo.
If your business currently uses, or is considering using, stock images to save a few dollars, it’s worth reading these articles first.
Stock Photos Create Risk
Tracking online photos is easier than ever. The technology to do so was developed here in Toronto, and it takes only seconds to find multiple uses of a single image across the web.
Now, imagine the embarrassment and awkwardness if the stock photo your company uses is also featured on a competitor’s website. Or worse, what if the stock image in your ad campaign inadvertently showcases a competitor’s product? Will your company be the next to be laughed at?
While stock images may sometimes be appropriate, they rarely serve your business well when it comes to corporate identity, branding, and marketing.
Hiring a professional photographer to create original, tailored photos for your business is often more cost-effective in the long run. It leaves a stronger first impression, gives your brand a unique and authentic look, builds credibility, and carries far less risk.
Can your business really afford to cut corners with cheap stock photography?
