What is Brand Imagery? How to choose images for your brand.

Photographer Amirr Zolfaqari

I'm a Brand Imagery Consultant. 

I love the power of images. 

I specialise in helping people choose the most effective images for their brand.

What is Brand Imagery?

There's often confusion between definitions of different aspects of branding and marketing. Broadly speaking, Brand Identity is about the elements people recognise a brand by. One of those elements is images (still and video). This is referred to as Brand Imagery. Other elements of Brand Identity included; logos, fonts, sounds etc.

Brand Imagery vs. Brand Image

Confusingly you will also see reference to Brand Image. This generally refers to the mental "image" people have of brand in their mind rather than imagery created by the brand. 

How to chose images for you brand?

When choosing brand imagery, there are several factors to consider to ensure that the visuals effectively represent your brand and resonate with your target audience. Here are some tips for selecting the right brand imagery:

1. Define Your Brand Identity: Before diving into image selection, have a clear understanding of your brand's identity, values, and personality. This clarity will serve as a guiding principle in choosing visuals that align with your brand's essence.

2. Understand Your Target Audience: Gain insights into your target audience's preferences, interests, and demographics. Consider their aspirations, lifestyle, and the emotions you want to evoke through your imagery. This understanding will help you select visuals that connect with your audience on a deeper level.

3. Research Competitors: Study your competitors' visual strategies to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities in your industry. Analyze the types of imagery they use, their visual style, and the emotions they evoke. This research will enable you to differentiate your brand and make informed decisions about your own brand imagery.

4. Seek Professional Guidance: Consider working with a brand imagery consultant. These experts have extensive knowledge of brand strategy, visual communication, and image selection. They can provide strategic guidance, leveraging their networks of image creators and resources, to help you find the right visuals for your brand. They also understand licensing considerations and can ensure that the selected images comply with copyright regulations.

By combining these tips with the assistance of a brand imagery consultant, you can enhance your brand's visual presence and effectively communicate your message. Brand imagery consultants can help you navigate the vast landscape of visual options, connect you with skilled image creators, and provide valuable insights based on their experience in the industry. Their expertise and networks can save you time and effort while ensuring that the selected visuals align with your brand's identity and objectives.

Remember, choosing the right brand imagery is a powerful tool in shaping your brand's identity and connecting with your audience. By understanding your brand, knowing your audience, researching competitors, and seeking professional guidance, you can make informed decisions that elevate your brand's visual representation and set you apart from the competition.

Hiring professional image experts for your Brand 

Let's explore the different roles involved in professional brand imagery and their contributions:

• Brand Imagery Consultant / Brand Visual Strategist: A brand imagery consultant or brand visual strategist (both variations of the same role), specialises in helping brands make informed decisions about their visual representation. Combining expertise in brand strategy, visual communication, and image selection, provides strategic guidance to ensure that the imagery chosen accurately reflects your brand's identity, resonates with your target audience, and supports your overall brand objectives.

• Picture Researcher: A picture researcher specializes in sourcing and selecting visual content that aligns with specific project requirements. They possess an in-depth knowledge of image sources, licensing considerations, and industry trends to help you discover the most suitable visuals for your brand.

• Picture Editor: A picture editor works closely with visual content to enhance its impact and align it with the intended message. They possess an eye for detail, ensuring that the selected imagery effectively communicates your brand's story and resonates with your audience.

Why use a qualified Brand Imagery Consultant?

Not all brand imagery consultants are qualified. My approach combines a degree in semiotic image analysis with study at the Chartered Institute of Marketing and Chartered Institue of Public Relations. I've led brand development for many organisations and worked for a number of picture libraries and video libraries including the National Portrait Gallery and BBC Motion Gallery helping clients to find the right images for their projects and was a board director of BAPLA (British Association of Picture Libraries & Agencies).

My role is to bring over 25 years of experience in brand strategy and picture research to help you find the right imagery answers for your brand. You may be a creative director working on the brand imagery section of new brand guidelines and want some ideas and advice. Or this may be your own brand and you want to explore how to represent your brand visually. I can help you think through the right image choices to help your brand and your audience find each other.

What do you want your brand imagery to do?

Now this is the right question! As with my book Brand is how we find each other, understanding want you want your imagery to do for your brand is far more important than the definition.

How I will help you find the right brand imagery

1. Discussion

   I can help you clarify your brief so the images you create for your brand resonate with your intended audience. It's a matching process. 



2. Imagery Presentation 

   I'll provide you with a short series of key images and key phrases to represent your brand.

You will be able to use this material to licence imagery for your brand and/or to brief photographers when commissioning new brand imagery.

Brand Imagery and copyright

Copyright is important, both to your brand and to photographers and illustrators creating images for you. I will always ensure you have good and clear advice to ensure any brand imagery you commission is properly cleared with the rights holders of an image.