Corbis today announced the latest emerging visual and cultural trends in imagery identified by its global Creative Intelligence team. The research and analysis is released on a quarterly basis to help anticipate the emerging imagery needs of creatives and guide photographers toward capturing images that are likely to be in high demand by advertising and marketing professionals around the world. The announcement was made during the Cannes International Advertising Festival taking place June 17 to June 23 in Cannes, France.
The Corbis Creative Intelligence team supports both photographers and customers in their creative endeavors by anticipating future market shifts. The team works with local art directors to develop imagery that best reflects today’s cultural and stylistic trends and that resonates strongly with target markets both regionally and globally.
“Photographers love receiving trend information that will help set their work apart, while creatives find relevant imagery that supports their vision,” said Amber Calo, Senior Manager, Creative Intelligence at Corbis. “By analyzing consumer trends and insights, we’re walking in the same shoes as account planners at ad agencies. We ask the same questions and strive to deliver imagery that will resonate with their target markets.”
All of the following trends are relevant globally, but some are currently more pronounced in specific regions, and so are listed geographically.
Global Trends: Changing Gender Roles and Medical Tourism
- Rise of Female Entrepreneurs: Women around the world are entering the workforce in record numbers, with many starting their own home-based businesses. As a result, men are taking a more active role in childrearing and domestic duties. Images of stay-at-home dads, mothers in business settings, and women multitasking at home represent this trend.
- Medical Miles: Due to rising medical costs and overburdened healthcare systems, particularly in the US, UK, and Canada, many people are traveling overseas, especially to India, for high quality, less expensive medical procedures. Due to lower costs, some even use the opportunity to do some sight-seeing while they recuperate. Images that support this trend feature doctors and patients interacting, hi-tech medical facilities, and mature tourists around the world.
North American Trends: Stronger Family Ties and Booming Schools
- Generational Re-Connect: The number of multigenerational families living together in the US has grown by 60 percent over the past 15 years. As more Baby Boomers reach retirement age, many are taking a more active role in their grandchildren’s lives. This trend is supported by images of grandparents providing child care, family vacations, and group photos with three or more generations represented.
- Millennial Development: Driven by increased births during the late 1980s and a rise in immigration, a record-high 55 million children are projected to be enrolled in American schools by the fall of 2007. Minorities now make up 40 percent of elementary and high school students, compared with 21 percent in 1970. Imagery showcasing this trend includes diversity in schools, students interacting with teachers, and students using technology.
European Trends: The Flexible Office and City Tourism
- Out of Office: The very definition of “office” has changed. Considerably more people are using non-traditional spaces such as cafes, bookstores, parks, and their homes to conduct their business, allowing greater flexibility and the opportunity to spend more time with family. Images of casual business meetings, working parents, and people working in coffee shops support this trend.
- Pocket Vacations: City tourism has grown significantly in recent years, with people taking shorter trips closer to home rather than more traditional longer vacations to far-flung locales. Many of these vacations are to big cities across Europe and focus on sight-seeing and visits to famous cultural attractions. Images of families at tourist attractions, sight-seeing, and taking local transportation illustrate this trend.
Asia-Pacific Trends: Olympic Games and the Mainstream Goes Mobile
- Global Arena: The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing are expected to draw one million visitors from other parts of China and another half-million foreign tourists. To prepare for the Games and the influx of tourists, China is spending $30 billion to build stadiums and hotels and improve infrastructure such as transportation and telecommunications. Relevant images include shots of Olympic Sports and Olympic traditions, and Chinese landmarks and updated tourist attractions.
- Wi-Community: Wireless technology, particularly mobile devices, is swiftly changing both work and social life across Asia. One of the fastest growing contributors to this industry is the mobile market, with China representing the world’s largest market with over 431 million mobile users. This trend is reinforced by images of people of all ages using technology, businesspeople using wireless technology, and people traveling with technology.
About Corbis
Corbis is a creative resource for advertising, marketing and media professionals worldwide, helping to bring creative work to life with the highest quality photography, footage and rights services. Corbis offers a preeminent collection of more than 100 million creative, entertainment and historic images, a comprehensive footage library, the world’s deepest rights and clearances expertise, a roster of elite assignment photographers and an award winning media management solution. Headquartered in Seattle, Corbis serves more than 50 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.corbis.com.
This article was last modified on January 4, 2023
This article was first published on June 25, 2007
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