Stock Photos: Crutch or Godsend

Before the Web, photos in advertising were usually part of the conceptual development process. Back then, if an art director envisioned a photo in an ad concept, a comp was prepared to show the client how the final ad might appear. If the concept was approved, photographers were hired to help transform the concept into reality.

Prior to the Internet, there were many stock photo houses with thousands of images published in large proprietary printed catalogs. If, through an onerous page-by-page search, you did happen to find a photo that was appropriate for your ad, the royalties could run many thousands of dollars depending on the photo, the photographer, the ad’s total media exposure, and the duration of the ad campaign. Most of the time it was just easier to take the photo than find one in a catalog and try to negotiate a price.

Now, too often it seems, you see examples of ad development that appear to be initiated by finding an interesting photo first, and then building an ad concept around it. This is backward thinking. It is difficult to portray a unique brand image for your company using someone else’s picture album. Why has this happened?

The first reason is the vast availability of photos (were talkin’ several million). There are hundreds of large stock image sites on the Web that permit you to create detailed searches. Consequently, you can sift through hundreds of options at a sitting. Comstock Images, Corbis and Getty Images, are some examples of sites. Many of the photos you’ll find are excellent, attention-getting images, however that doesn’t necessarily make them relevant and on-brand for your company’s advertising. The proliferation of high-end digital cameras, and the ease of adding new photos to stock photo inventories, indicates that the availability of photo options will continue to increase at a rapid pace.

The second reason is cost. In the past, the royalties on photos used in major advertising campaigns was a major cost factor in the advertising. Those royalties could be difficult to negotiate and budget. Now the majority of images coming out of stock photo companies are royalty free and the cost has gone way down. Look at the pricing on iStockphoto. It is only $5 for large photos and only $20-$40 for big, high-resolution files that can be used for double page magazine spreads. Instead of uncertainty regarding photo budgets, modern-day stock photo options allow advertisers, and the people preparing the ads, the ability to determine an accurate budget.

Stock photos not only reduce or eliminate the cost of custom photography, they also reduce the need for art direction, touch-up and other costs that might be associated with that custom work.

Lastly, building ad concepts around stock photos is easier. The photos can serve as an almost instant lateral thinking tool for idea generation. Also, once photos are found, it is easier for the ad’s creator to explain a concept because the photo in the concept could be the photo in the ad, or a close approximation thereof. Also, the availability of millions of photos makes it easier for creative teams to develop more concepts for consideration.

There you have the current stock photo realities: more availability, lower cost and it makes life easier for everyone. What could be wrong with that? Well, for one thing none of these factors guarantee a quality idea. None of these factors ensure any type of brand distinction and cohesiveness. Stock photos can contribute to the shear number of ideas or variations considered, but that doesn’t always equate to carving out a relevant niche that will differentiate your company from competitors. No matter how many photos become available, the fact that they are royalty-free stock photos, means they could be seen in an ad right next to your ad. That is no way to create authenticity for your brand. The best advertising and marketing is not the cheapest, easiest or the fastest. The best advertising is that which will create the best return on the money invested.

Stock photos can be a helpful tool for many marketing purposes, and the selection is incredible. They can be a godsend when timelines are tight, it’s the wrong season for custom photography or budgets are scarce. However, they can also become a crutch for developing quick turn-around, so-so work that fails to deliver a unique brand personality.  The best ad campaigns will still be those that were conceptualized first for strategic brand relevance, and then photos (or video…or music…or sound)  are sought (stock or custom) to fulfill the creative promise.