Getty Images: search spikes for ‘panic buying’, 'coronavirus' and ‘flatten the curve’

Marcomms professionals are facing a huge conundrum during this period of lock-down.

On one hand, there’s been a spike in content consumption with WFH policies.

On the other, with cuts to marketing spend, and ROI being a constant refrain in boardrooms, the pressure is on for marketers to differentiate their products from competitors, and connect with customers on a ‘human level’.

For finance marketers facing these challenges, Getty Images’s upcoming webinar, How The Pandemic Has Shaped Visual Creative Needs: A Focus On The Finance Industry, might provide some insights - and hopefully, solutions.

Sign up for the webinar now

The webinar will divulge results of a survey, where Getty Images interviewed 20 global finance organisations to gain insights into what finance marketers are looking for, as well as challenges they face.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, 100% of finance marketers are looking for visuals that tell stories with real emotions. In terms of style, 83% of finance marketers have preference for natural warm tones - that perhaps allow them to better convey a sense of authenticity. Meanwhile, 72% of finance marketers are saying no to ‘cliches’, and opting for confident and optimistic people in their images.The webinar will divulge results of a survey, where Getty interviewed 20 global finance organisations to gain insights into what finance marketers are looking for, as well as challenges they face.

One theme that is on the rise is technology, with a sharp spike in search for words like ‘cyber security’ (+89%)’ and ‘artificial intelligence’ (+146%) among finance marketers. Technology follows spend; and finance industries. There is a demand for visualisation that conveys the way tech is changing how we interact with the world, how we navigate daily life, as well as how we see ourselves.

Sustainability is a hot topic for finance brands, with 455% and 295% spikes for the words ‘climate change’ and ‘recycle’ respectively.

One of the most significant initiatives that Getty Images has launched is #ShowUs, a project dedicated to shattering outdated representations of beauty. There has been a call for industries to ‘say bye’ to airbrushing - and it’s no different in the finance world.

According to Getty Images' survey, 70% of women don’t feel represented in media and advertising, with 69% feeling pressured to reach an unrealistic standard of beauty. The new platform, featuring 179 photo subjects, shot by 116 female photographers in real environments, with no digital distortions, hopes to rectify this.

Sign up for How The Pandemic Has Shaped Visual Creative Needs: A Focus On The Finance Industry to learn more about empathetic content marketing

As brands are adapting their messaging in fast-changing situations, Getty Images' visualisations are also evolving. The company is encouraging its content creators to shoot diverse visuals that more authentically reflect on the fast-changing world that we live in. In the health and wellness category, demand is rising for visualisations about ‘home fitness’ and ‘day to day care’ under lockdown. Meanwhile, ‘working remotely’ will generate visuals of people working from home with family around, working from home at different times of day.

For more insights, register for the How The Pandemic Has Shaped Visual Creative Needs: A Focus On The Finance Industry webinar