Learn how Bayer teamed up with Shutterstock Studios to showcase the work of visually impaired photographers through beautifully shot videos.
Bayer, an international leader in the pharmaceutical industry, is known for creating a healthier world. Recently, Bayer partnered with Shutterstock Studios to bring healthy representation to the forefront of their messaging. The teams collaborated on producing a series of videos that highlight the work of visually impaired photographers, while sparking conversation about the human eye and optical health.
In fact, this project’s ideas all stemmed from questions about the eye and relationship with their own vision. Teams at Bayer asked themselves:
- What do we think about our eyes? Do we think about them often?
- How do we value our eyes in day-to-day life?
- And what does optical health look like for individuals?
Sight-abled people often take their eyes for granted—spending very little time thinking about what it means to see. Yet, Bayer’s ophthalmology team knows that there are millions of people who suffer from issues related to sight. Everyone has a unique way of thinking about, experiencing, and understanding their own literal vision in their lives and work.
Bayer desired to empower visually impaired artists, and promote optical care, through a creative campaign. They then brought this idea to the Shutterstock Studios team.
Sourcing the Best Photographers for the Project
Adam Barnett, Director of Production for the Europe, the Middle East and Asia Office of Shutterstock Studios, knew right away that Shutterstock could help Bayer connect with viewers through authentic storytelling. He worked on a COVID-19-focused television commercial before coming to Shutterstock, so he was familiar with producing health and pharma-related content that struck an emotional chord with viewers. This means that, when Bayer asked for authentic storytelling with top talent, Barnett knew that his Studios team was their perfect partner.
It started with a phone call. Barnett was friendly with the photographer David Katz, who has been visually impaired since childhood. Very early on within the project planning phase, he approached Katz to come on board. His relationship with Katz, plus the ever-growing pool of Shutterstock photography talent, helped Shutterstock Studios find four more photographers to feature within the Bayer project.
Tackling New Ideas and Evolving Projects
“Part of how we do this is collaboration,” shared Noelia Lage Vazquez, the Executive Producer who oversaw the various documentaries’ productions. “It involved a warm relationship with Bayer’s creative agency CDM, really great photography talent, great DPs, and an exceptional director.”
The collaboration between these team members was critical when the project scope moved beyond collecting still photos by visually impaired photographers. Plans shifted to focus on creating a documentary that focused on visually impaired photographers’ lives and creative work. In the end, the teams produced two video projects on two photographers with very different experiences of visual impairment, as Barnett explains below.
“We got to really look at these two different artists,” shared Barnett. “David Katz and Ian Treherne have very different experiences of visual impairment. David has had this (visual impairment) since he was a child, but Ian will lose sight entirely at some point.”
Following these artists and sharing their unique stories became a cornerstone of the Bayer campaign. The Studios team wanted to connect with each individual as deeply as possible, while also delivering on Bayer’s brand promise. Since the campaign is ultimately a marketing project, the Shutterstock Studios team had to maintain a fairly delicate balance between sharing individual artists’ stories and Bayer branding. Their deliverables struck this balance well. The series of final videos do indeed “help patients see a better life” by way of the pharmaceutical company’s inclusive and uplifting messaging.
Telling Personal Stories on Behalf of Brands
The final collection of images and videos was used for a Bayer social media campaign that was well received by both their customers and the visually-impaired community. Each artists’ photos were featured across Bayer’s social channels.
For the additional video projects, Katz and Treheme were featured in their own two-minute-long videos. These videos told their individual stories of how visual impairment only adds to their artistic ambitions. In addition, 30-second short videos were produced that encapsulated each message in a shorter amount of time.
Barnett shared that, “We believe in diversity and inclusion at every level of our business– from the photographers we hire, to the directors who lead our shoots, to our executive team.”
Through this collaboration with Bayer and visually impaired artists, Shutterstock Studios accomplished two of their core missions. Their videos and photography told a brand’s story and its commitment to serving their customers and community. These videos also shared the experiences of people who face unique challenges within their creative endeavors, through authentic visuals and storytelling.
