No matter where you are in the life
cycle of your hospitality business,
here are my key tips for you to
think about and put into action.
1. Consider commissioning
professional photography
rather than using generic stock
or homemade imagery. It’s
often less expensive than you
think, and you will be able to
create visuals that are perfectly
expressive of YOUR brand.
2. Determine what assets you
really need. Consider how you
will be using your visuals, both
long and short-term. Some
applications might include your
website, Instagram, social media
campaigns, marketing materials
like brochures, videos for use
across all platforms, tradeshows,
billboards, broadcast and so
on. Be very clear about the
deliverables before estimating
and creating your marketing
budget, so that when you
approach artists and their
representatives your project will
have the best possible outcome.
3. Develop a strong concept
for your visuals. Work out in
advance how the ideas and
images will best communicate
your attributes and offerings,
then research and choose the
photographer/videographer who
is in alignment with your brand.
Artists tell me all the time
that they need a clear starting
point to build on – they prefer
collaborative direction, so they
then know how to create visual
stories and hero images that are
on target for the brand and that
make you -- the client -- happy.
4. Be realistic about how many
professional set-ups (shots)
your photographer can do
in one day while maintaining
consistency and quality. Please
discuss in advance – everyone
involved will be happier
86 ILHA
and more satisfied with the
outcome.
5. These days, it’s critical to decide
in advance which medium
is most important for your
project – stills or motion. Once
that is determined, you will
be clear about who to hire – a
director for motion, who then
shoots stills as an add-on, or
a photographer who will hire
and direct a cinematographer.
It’s a question of who takes the
lead, based on the assets you
want to create. If you have a
very small budget, it can be
the same person, keeping in
mind that most artists will be
stronger in one skill set than
the other. Producing motion is
more complex, and the arc of
the work from pre-production
to production to post will take
longer given that there are
so many more elements to
consider – sync sound, music,
sound effects, editing and
more. Therefore, you will want
to seriously consider what is
possible to accomplish in your
timeframe.
6. When conceiving motion pieces,
be mindful to “think” in motion
and the range of stories you can
conjure and tell. These days,
it’s considered dated to show a
little video of a couple by the
pool festive drinks accompanied
by a piece of “canned” music
playing in the background. This
generic approach will feel like
old news and is not an emotional
call to action for consumer
engagement.
7. There are so many amazing
components available to bring
your brand to life when using
original photography and
motion. Be discerning and
open to the artist’s professional
expertise, for example,
regarding models, locations,
best time of day to shoot in
order, and where to put the
camera in order to make the
most of your resources –
budget, time, and personnel.
Remember that you will want
to undertake the essential work
required to excavate your key brand
attributes and personality, as well
as define your strategic positioning
in the marketplace before you
undertaking any communication and
implementation in the marketplace,
since this deeper knowledge is the
basis of your visual communication.
Also remember that you will be
building your visual brand voice
over time, and that you need to
give it time to resonate with your
audiences. Based on my extensive
observation and experience, you will
see tangible results when you form
a visceral emotional, visual language
rooted in the “you-ness” of your
brand.
About the author
Transformational Brand Strategist and
Creative Director Beth Taubner is the
Founder of Mercurylab, with offices in
London and New York. She has developed
a proprietary approach to branding,
using a combination of psychological,
visual and analytic processes. Her
clients include well-known American
brands such as A&E and Stop & Shop,
International Newsweek, online fashion
powerhouse Moda Operandi, Condé Nast
Publications, where she creating and
supervised the entire photographic travel
aesthetic for Condé Nast Brides, and the
number one ultra-luxe safari company
ROAR AFRICA, based in Cape Town and
New York. She also works closely on brand
identification, language communications,
visual development and marketing with
some of the top photographers and artist
representative agencies in the world.
[email protected]
Mercurylab.com
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