What is seasonal branding?
Seasonal branding is an extension of your general branding. While your general branding consists of your visual identity (think logo, colors, and brand photos) and your messaging (think tagline, website copy, and social media posts), seasonal branding is a way to tap into a deeper level.
Seasonal branding connects current weather, events, trends, holidays (both those real and silly - i.e. national lipstick day) with your brand. It’s a way to connect with your customers with more personal and real-time brand experience.
What is seasonal branding photography?
One of the best ways to engage in season branding is through your brand images. They can express the mood and vibe of the holiday while simultaneously telegraphing your brand’s values and personality.
The “seasonal” element can be any size, as small as a local event like the ice castles that take place in Dillon, Colorado in the winter each year or a celestial event such as a passing comet, lunar eclipse, or the stars aligning. The most common seasonal opportunities are threefold:
The actual seasons: summer, fall, winter, and spring
Big holiday seasons: New Years, Easter, Chanukah, Halloween, etc.
Milestone holidays: International Coffee Day, Grandparents Day, etc.
Brand photographers, like myself, work with brands to create unique photoshoots that allow business owners to capture these special times of the year and relate it back to their brand.
The benefits of seasonal brand photos
Show off seasonal styles or products
The most common use of seasonal branding photos is to announce seasonal or time-limited product lines or seasonal offers. A great example of this is the thousands of breweries who showcase a new beer (or several) for the Oktoberfest season.
Stay on trend with the mood of the season
But your seasonal branding photos can be more subtle than a new product launch. You can keep your marketing fresh — especially on social media — by utilizing brand images that are appropriate for the weather and consistent with the mood of the season. Think breezy vacation vibes during the warm July days vs cozy sweater weather during snowy January nights.
Highlight your brand values when they align with holidays
Probably the number one benefit to seasonal branding is revealing your brand values. Why? Because psychologists show that aligned values are the number one reason consumers decide to buy from you. Holidays allow you to express your brand’s values and celebrate with your target audience. What better way to make a personal connection?
Express your brand personality in unique, fun ways
We’re all looking to make our content more exciting to viewers and more relatable to our audience. Seasonal brand photos do exactly that by expressing your brand’s personality with relevant imagery. Show off your quirky side, funky style, or glamorous persona with brand images that catch attention and immensely shareable.
How to incorporate seasonal branding
Working with a brand photographer
Working with a brand photographer like myself is very easy, especially if you’re not sure how to get going with this seasonal branding idea.
Part of the process includes brainstorming creative ideas you can use in your seasonal branding; then you show up to a fun-filled photoshoot where you get to be yourself and have a blast. Shortly after, you get a variety of images that are on brand and on message to use however you like.
Where to use seasonal brand images
Seasonal brand images can be used just about any way you can think of. Keep your website fresh with seasonal brand photography. Publish timely blog posts with relevant images. Create fun and engaging social media campaigns with images that are a perfect fit. My clients have been able to incorporate the images from our brand photoshoots into their digital marketing, print media, and online profiles.
Seasonal brand photography ideas
One of my favorite parts of working with clients is to brainstorm up these fun and seasonal ideas for their unique brand. Here are a few ideas to kickstart your creative juices:
Show off how you support local businesses by showing off images for International Ice Cream Day
Dress up you favorite beverage in twinkling holiday lights for the start of the Christmas season to show your joyful attitude
Throw some leaves in the park to show off your gratitude for life and nature
Pull out a box of sparklers for a nighttime photoshoot in preparation for Independence Day to show your audience what patriotism means to you
Get in touch to learn more about seasonal branding photography and what kind of photoshoot we can do for your brand.