Your photo library is the visual foundation on which any marketing strategy is built.
Research says you have eight seconds to catch the eye of a Gen Z.
And for print - the decision to read or reject pamphlets and direct mail pieces is made by readers in
just 2.5 seconds.
Travellers want to visualise potential new experiences. How will it make them feel? To stand out in the tourism industry and inspire travellers to book you over competitors, place compelling visuals centre-stage throughout your marketing. There are two types - hero images and
stock/complementary images.
'Hero Shots' are your defining images - what sets you apart.
They are "wow" photographs that make the viewer think "I want to be there now"; They grab attention quickly in a saturation of images. A library of promotional images complements the hero shots. These images are less memorable but just as necessary to tell the story. Just like a magazine with their hero image on the cover, and the additional photos within the article.
Your appeal and uniqueness
+
great idea/concept
+
awesome team
=
Hero image
Uniqueness/appeal could be a landmark, a feeling or an experience.
The great idea revolves around a story. What does your ideal audience want to see? Weather, atmosphere, activity, talent similar to themselves? Let your audience imagine it could be them
there, enjoying your destination.
Find the production team you need and trust. Look at their portfolio, get to know them, find recommendations. You have to be comfortable and confident.
Finally, make sure your images (hero and stock) sit firmly within your marketing brand. They should be images that define you and make you unique.
Thousands of dollars are being spent taking those images into the marketplace - websites, promotional collateral, travel shows, social media - it makes sense to do it properly from the start.
