With the health and wellness industry’s continuous growth, how can brands in this field effectively target today’s purpose-driven consumers? Start by selecting the right images.
The global wellness economy is expected to be worth $7 trillion by 2025. With massive growth projected over the next few years, small businesses within these industries shouldn’t be complacent. In fact, companies must pay attention to their target audiences’ appetites for specific products.
Today’s consumers are more purpose-driven than ever. They don’t just focus on the product. They also care about company values. Consumers make sure that a brand’s vision and mission are aligned with their own priorities. This is something every CEO, marketing leader, and sales executive should pay attention to.
Diversity and inclusivity are two resounding creative themes, worldwide. And as the wellness economy continues to grow, so should every brand’s dedication to position themselves as diverse and inclusive leaders.
Here are some tips to nail just that. . . .
Solid sales won’t happen if you don’t have a solid community.
Being “solid” doesn’t simply mean having a high number of followers on social media. This means having the type of followers that are loyal enough to make a purchase and then recommend you to their friends.
This isn’t easy to build. An effective way to do this is by making sure your visuals are relatable and approachable.
License these images via Flamingo Images on OFFSET and Zoja Hussainova.
Make sure that the images on your website, social media channels, and paid ads all portray some sense of relatability. This means focusing on visuals that tell your audience “this is what wellness looks like” or “this beauty is worth celebrating,” without excluding any group of people.
Your goal as a brand is to make people feel seen. Whether that includes diversity in gender and race, or inclusivity in people with disabilities, all images should encourage a connection between a brand and everyone in their audience.
Show What Real Wellness Looks Like
While you continue to build a community of customers through relatable visuals, you must nurture this community. As a brand, you don’t want to just keep generating new buyers. The ultimate goal is to turn all new audience members and first-time customers into repeat buyers.
What does this mean, visually?
Simply put, brands must focus on what real wellness looks like. Whether you’re purchasing images from stock photography sites or you have an in-house photographer, make sure your images are all about real wellness and not trendy-looking stills.
Don’t just show off the pretty, aesthetically pleasing parts of it. Wellness doesn’t always look like a candle-lit afternoon alone or a bubbly bath with wine and some luxurious bath salts.
License these images via TORWAISTUDIO, Blik Sergey, DisobeyArt, and Flamingo Images on OFFSET.
Sometimes, wellness can look like a sweaty person on a yoga mat. It can simply look like afternoon laughter with friends. Use reality as an anchor.
Get creative with how you incorporate your products or services in these photos. Your product packaging may be off to the side . . . or it may not make the final photo at all!
So long as you show the experience of wellness, you’re on the right track.
Diversity Means More Than We Think
When we hear the words “inclusivity” and “diversity,” most of us immediately think about race, gender, and disabilities. While those three areas are definitely important, diversity and inclusivity are vast and wide.
As a brand, it’s your responsibility to cover as much of it as you can. Don’t shy away from showing age diversity, various religious beliefs, body diversity, and cultural diversity.
Every kind of person may use essential oils, crystals, and skincare products. Make sure your images portray that your products are indeed for everybody.
License these images via Iryna Imago, Addictive Creative, Dmytro Zinkevych, and MDV Edwards.
Don’t Forget Human Connections
Wellness is not a one-person act. Why do you think we have group meditations? Or running clubs? Or whole social groups, classes, and churches full of people doing the things they love?
Human connection is an important part of storytelling. Include that within your images as a way to draw eyes toward your brand.
For example, you can include images like a mother and daughter wearing face masks, or a portrayal of friends exercising in different styles of activewear.
These are just a couple of ideas to inject human connection in your brand photography.
There is something about human relationships that brings warmth. When done right, it makes photos look real, feel real, and inspire connection with your brand.
Lean Towards Realistic, and Not-Overly-Perfect, Images
Consumers today are done with perfection. People have grown weary of highly edited photos, perfect grids, and overly-curated imagery. Instead, lean toward including images that look realistic, imperfect, and ones that depict the everyday.
Similar to the goal of including diverse and inclusive people in your ads, more casual photos cause people to relate to your brand. Ultimately, people find these images relatable because they’re anchored in reality.
Diversity and inclusivity in photography doesn’t have to be difficult. Brands must direct their photos with true authenticity and everyday representation at their core.
It’s not just about taking action to make more sales. It’s about taking the right action to maintain your connection with your audience.
License this cover image via Flamingo Images on OFFSET.
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