Stills.com — Shaking up the design industry with an exclusive invite-only photo licensing platform
Stills, a premier photo licensing brand, sought to disrupt the stock photo landscape with the launch of its platform — rejecting a lackluster marketplace that forced designers, art directors, and marketers to rely on underwhelming, overused images.
To shake things up Stills signed in-demand commercial photographers to their roster, meticulously curating their work to bring it to market. Stills curation team is some of the most cutthroat in the industry, accepting less than 1% of photos submitted — ensuring only the highest quality of photos to choose from.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Go-To-Market Plan
Marketing Strategy
Brand Positioning
Creative Direction
An elevated identity
When shaping the Identity, Stills aimed to establish itself as a premium choice for photo licensing. To resonate with discerning designers, we embraced an essence of simplicity and sophistication, allowing photographs to come to the forefront and have Stills as the museum-like showcase they were housed in.
Introducing scarcity through limited access
Most of us want what's hard to get. For designers, this sets them apart and boosts their reputation. Sharing amazing products and services that enrich their lives and others is just one of the ways one builds their reputation.
With this in mind, we tapped into the power of exclusivity to create that feeling of FOMO (fear of missing out). Stills became a diamond in the ruff, offering special advantages to those who discovered it first.
First movers advantage
The pre-launch campaign was built to stir anticipation. Providing a way for designers to receive early access before anyone else.
The only way to secure entry was to sign up for the waitlist. Once Stills launched, only those who signed up during pre-launch could let people in. Each early adopter received 3 invites to share with their network.
Activating the Stills roster of photographers
To showcase the photographer talent Stills was signing, the brand began cross-posting signing announcements on Instagram, introducing the photographer’s audience to their new representation.
With Stills.com under construction during prelaunch, we leveraged Instagram to set expectations for what was coming, directing traffic to sign up for the waitlist.
Building a community of early adopters
To further build the Stills audience we organized designer giveaways to offer early adopters opportunities to win valuable design resources while they wait for early access.
We also hosted several collaborative giveaways with our photographers to further engage their audiences with limited photo books, prints, etc.
Tapping into the power of advocates
To position Stills as a leader in the design world, we teamed up with design leaders, inviting them to explore the platform and spread the word about the photo licensing brand. This included recognizable names like Jessica Walsh from "& Walsh", Ethan Tran from "Ogilvy" and Oren John. These advocates not only vouched for Stills but also got a handful of invites to share with the public. This approach made Stills stand out as a leader in the field, backed by real voices.
The network effect
Stills was designed to be a premium offering that caters to a specific niche of design professionals. To capitalize on this positioning, we gated the pre-launch phase, targeting designers who aligned with that vision. At launch we released invites to this select group, leveraging their networks of qualified leads, and casting them as the heroes of the story. This approach led the way for their community to seek invites within their circles, solidifying the network effect and reinforcing their reputations.
Recognition
