(Or how goats can make boring pics more interesting)
We’ve all seen stock images that seem a bit lame, but you may not have appreciated how odd and unnaturalsome of them are until you take a closer look....
...it might be the unnervingly bleached teeth, the business suits that look as though have just come off the rack and then been pressed a dozen times, or the ever-so perfectly organised mess.
Perfect is one word that springs to mind, everything has been so precisely and carefully organised to create a setting and models that look as though the dust never settles on them, no coffee is ever spilt, and none of those cheesy smiles ever slip.
Perhaps there exists somewhere an alternate plane of existence where people actually look like this, but I’m sure that you’ve never seen anyone resembling these characters in everyday life. I mean where are the crumbs from the coffee break cookies, the desks that look like someone has actually done some work at them, and the variety of expressions on folks faces?
It all looks a bit fake, and if it looks fake, then what does this say about the person or company that chose to use such fake-looking images?
It’s not as though there aren’t enough images to choose from.
Let’s look at a couple of examples from a business theme.
We’ll also look at how some of these images can be made more interesting by inserting a goat into the proceedings.
Almost any situation can be made more interesting by inserting a goat into it, however, for this article we’ll limit it to office settings.
Fake image number #1 - the office team high-fiving each other.
This group of happy meeting attendees are so busy high-fiving each other that they fail to notice Gerald the Goat sneaking in to raid the fruit bowl.
Yay! Go team! They’ve obviously just achieved some important goal such as setting a new record for length of time in having their grins fixed in place.
Err....people just aren’t that happy at meetings....I mean where is the guy who is fighting to stay awake? The woman gazing off into the distance daydreaming about something to take her mind of things? The guy who is just not having a bad day....
Fake image #2 - business people leaping in the air.
Either individually or as a team, there are lots of folks leaping about. What do the offices below make of al the commotion going on?
Why are these two jumping in the air? Is there any good reason?
Is it normal to be airborne in the office?
Now there’s a good reason to be airborne...
Fake image #3 - person holding tablet doing work
This one usually comes with a big smile as well, rather than a look puzzlement that often comes when trying to figure out a new app.
By the way, I don’t only draw goats...geese can be equally disruptive...
Maybe these images will serve as a warning or a wake-up call not to use such images yourself.
Nobody likes things that are fake, whether it’s photos, people or goods.
You are not fake. And you certainly don’t want to come across as fake. So why use fake images?
But it’s not just about the fakeness, it’s about the fact that such pics are not much fun at all. I mean it’s hard enough to get someone’s attention in the first place, so the last thing you want to do have boring pics act as a huge damp squib to your writing.
Amusing images that compliment your writing can have a huge impact on your audience in terms of whether your message sticks around or if they share it with friends.
Finding good images though can take so doing, and certainly take a chunk of time - which is why many folks opt for the easier option of using ready to hand stock images. The trouble is, a lot of those images have already been used by others, as well as the before mentioned fakery associated with such images.
So it would be great if you could have an easy-to-hand source of fun and eye-catching images to use.
Cartoons would be a neat alternative - quirky amusing ones, like the pics above.
Hmm...so where do such cartoons lurk?
Introducing the cartoon subscription service.
The Cartoon Subscription Service is a one-stop service providing you with cartoons to use on your site or on social media. There are also plenty of ideas and advice on how you can use cartoons for the greatest effect and impact.
How else can cartoons help you?
-Cartoons grab attention
-Cartoons can deliver a message quickly
-Cartoons help to tell a story, stories can be used to sell your message or service
-A picture is worth a thousand words
-Cartoons are fun!
-Cartoons help to get things read
Intrigued?
Want some more information on how cartoons can help you?
Fill in your name, email address and say “Cartoon me up!” in the subject line and I’ll send you further details.