As 2016 draws to a close you have probably drawn up your plans for next year and are thinking about the marketing materials you will need. One important question you should be asking is what are the trends for 2017 and how can I make sure my business is on trend? If visual imagery is important to your marketing promotions then the photos and images you use need to look modern and in line with current trends. Here are our 3 tips on things you can do to make your images up to date for 2017.
- Authenticity. This is likely to be the most significant theme for the coming twelve months. Photographs will look more authentic and have a style more associated with photojournalism than marketing. They will have a documentary or story telling quality to them and feel like they were taken in the moment. Previously with platforms like Instagram you would have applied a filter to give the photograph a nostalgic soft or subtle hue, in 2017 the trend will be to move away from this. Unfiltered photos will become the norm. There is even likely to be more photographs taken on film or at least made to look like they were taken using film. The obvious use of flash to give shadows and a harsher light to create that “real” snapshot look is also likely to be popular. Keeping with the real theme photographs using “gritty” women and the woman as the heroine are becoming increasing popular. The impression of a woman who means business, not to be messed with or underestimated.
Lorna Singleton weaving with oak. No filters used so the image retains its real feel.
Previously you might have been a chosen a model without tattoos now the opposite will be true. Tattoos have an implied reality to them. Another tactic to bring realism to images will be to use animals such as a dog, a horse or other family pet to help create that sense of a real family rather than a staged photograph.
Cassie the dog features in Clocktower’s latest marketing material
- Technology – if you show people using technology in your photos make sure it is the latest model. A picture showing someone using a iPhone4 will immediately date the image, so find someone with the latest model and use that. Better still use a virtual reality headset. For example have your sales people or site engineers using a tablet rather than a printed brochure or a notepad and pen.
Staff using a tablet so the image looks current.
- Colour – the use of unusual and striking colours. Unusual colour combinations immediately gain our attention. Colour will become the star. The images maybe very simple, using only 2 or 3 colours but they are designed to stop you in your tracks. The combinations of colours or the subject matter may even be ugly but they will get your attention.
Clashing colours grab the viewers attention
Those are our thoughts on what will be popular in 2017, we would love to hear your ideas on how you see images being used next year so please leave your comments. If reading this has made you realise you need to update your images then please give us a call on 07557 780336 and lets talk about creating you some eye catching images to drive your business forward.