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When it comes to marketing your brand and amplifying its offer, the visuals (images, video, graphics, branding etc) are one of your business’ most important assets.
However, the visuals have to be deliberate and coherent for them to work. A random assortment of ill-fitting images and visual cues do nothing to help audiences recognise and understand your brand. Visuals that are consistent however, do.
Which is why, when it comes to creating a visual strategy for your brand, we (Shout & Co.) ALWAYS start off by becoming intimately clued up on your brand guidelines: Its core colours, tone of voice, target market, look & feel, fonts, logo, tag lines - the whole shebang.
The golden thread that ties the whole visual strategy together is the consistency.
Consistency in how….
We use your brand colours across formats
Your fonts are applied
We create images and video content
We incorporate key textures, props, angles and even lighting into the content
We create patterns and graphics on your newsfeed
Here are some general principles to look out for when carving out a consistent visual offer for your audiences:
Image Shot & Styled by Shout & Co. for NZ Natural Pet Food Co.
COLOUR
Your brand colours should form the basis of the colour palette that you bring through your visuals. For example, if your chosen brand palette is made up of white, blue and red, create consistency by incorporating these colours (whether all together or individually) into your visuals. This could be (and depends on your business / industry / products or services that you sell):
A vase of red flowers in the background of your origin story video on your ABOUT page
Wearing a blue jacket paired with a red tie / lip stick for the headshots you put in your email signature and business card
White linens and props with smatterings of blue and red props in your product photography
Be consistent about how you apply your brand colours into your visuals, using similar (if not the same) hues and tones of your brand colours.
If you’re just starting out on your brand guidelines and colour palette, we will cover this in detail soon.
Image Shot & Styled by Shout & Co. for Evermore You
IMAGERY
Your style of imagery needs a thought out level of consistency as well. If some of your images are taken in moody lighting, while others are taken in bright settings then it’s going to look like a confused mess for your audience. Our briefing documents go into quite a lot of detail within this topic to make sure we understand your full vision.
Create a list of guidelines for your brand’s imagery:
What kind of lighting must they have? Dark & moody or light & bright?
What kind of composition are you looking for? Cluttered and maximalist? Or restrained and more minimalist?
Will you incorporate models into your imagery? Their overall look and presentation needs to tie in with your target audience (no use showing dogs in the images if your target market is cat owners)
What are the core props that need to be included to create context?
Will the images need to be full of colour and bright or subdued and de-saturated?
Edited to have a warm tone or cool tone?
This then sets the tone for how you set up, shoot and edit your imagery every time.
Image Shot & Styled by Shout & Co. for Milla Collagen
TEXTURE
Another visual element to consider is texture. Images and videos aren’t just about who’s in them, the products featured or the colours used - it’s about the “feel” of the imagery as well. For example, wood is warm and rustic, marble is sophisticated and contemporary, linens represent a subtle, natural approach, while shadows evoke mystery and drama. There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of ways to incorporate texture into your imagery, here are some of our favourites:
handcrafted ceramics
cottons and linens
reclaimed wood
natural sheep skin
ocean finds like shells, dried coral, sand and drift wood
dried flowers and foliage
painted and speckled surfaces
hammered brass
melted wax on beeswax candles
Switching gears with your texture can create confusion because it’s not giving the viewer a coherent “feeling” about your brand. Using reclaimed woods with imperfect, handcrafted ceramics gives the viewer a feeling of rustic warmth, while sleek marble set against sculptured, glossy high end art gives off the opposite. Identify your ideal “family” or category of textures and innovate within that. Love the look of woods? Try different grains, hues, painted effects and knots.
Image Shot & Styled by Shout & Co. for White Cloud Skincare
TILES & GRAPHICS
These are great ways to break up a visual-heavy social feed. Content of this nature covers any of the following:
Inspirational quotes
Shopper Testimonials
Themes: “FOR GUYS” or “COMING SOON”
Single word: “NEW” or “SALE”
Calls to action: “ENTER TO WIN!” or “SHOP THE RANGE”
But of course, be consistent with their design and delivery. Design in terms of incorporating your brand colours, fonts, tone of voice and layout. Delivery in terms of creating a visual pattern for your feed.
All of this is not to say that brand guidelines cannot be tweaked / updated / changed / refreshed through the course your business’ life, it simply provides a template on how to visually present your brand to the market in a … you guessed it… consistent way.
Of course, we can help you craft your visual strategy and brand imagery - book your product photography, headshots and brand video now! Can’t decide what you need?
Listen to this topic’s podcast right here!
