Capitalizing on the visual storytelling revolution

Social media have made the world not just more connected but hyper-expressive, with an insatiable demand for every kind of still and moving image. Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Youtube have turned watchers into storytellers.

As a major stock image agency and highly visual business, Shutterstock wanted to cement its place in the personal publishing and social media revolution. The brand chose Lippincott to bring its talents to the challenge of revitalizing the logo and brand for relevance in the age of a billion storytellers.

While Shutterstock had long transitioned from a startup to a global media marketplace, they were not alone. Competition is daunting and the image marketplace has verged on becoming a commodity category. In this sea of sameness, Shutterstock’s leaders saw an opportunity to evolve their brand and expand their appeal to design-centric customers and contributors. They wanted to be known as visual innovators and as an essential tool for creativity.

Lippincott quickly saw the potential within the name – and in particular the opportunity to transform the logo from a passive statement to an active expression of creative utility. The vehicle for this transformation was the “O” in Shutterstock.

We immediately set about fashioning the “O” into a form that at once could be seen as an aperture, a viewfinder or simply a window into an endless universe of creative inspiration and possibilities. In other words, the lens through which customers not only see the brand but also interact with it.

The logo shot into life across the entire Shutterstock ecosystem – from environmental design in their offices to city billboards and advertising. Employees embraced the energy of the new identity and took pride in wearing the logo on custom tee shirts. It was the core of a new identity that signaled the brand’s commitment to creativity and innovation. Valued at over US$2.5 billion and with share prices almost doubling since the rebrand, the company continues on its accelerated growth path and creative leadership.