instock | the diversity lens
In this edition of instock, we give you a sneak peek at our Diversity Lens, our introductory guide to diversity & inclusivity in stock imagery! We're celebrating our pocday as pocstock turns four on November 19th and are also eager to deliver some new platform updates.
Nov. 19th is pocday - we’re turning 4 years old!
It doesn't seem that long ago that pocstock was founded, but it's been almost four years of building a global diversity content brand.
Early on in our journey, we saw that there were others who have tried to solve the massive diversity challenges in stock media, and most did not reach the type of scale needed for meaningful change. Seeing this, we baked this African proverb into our ethos to ensure that we developed the right strategic partnerships.
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
It's part of the reason for our success to date. We have opened our doors to everyone, setting a place at the table for our team, clients, customers, investors, creators, contributors, vendors, allies, supporters, and even competitors to join forces in making the world a more diverse and inclusive place.
Our journey from there to here
"In 2015, I was running a digital marketing agency and had the idea to create a diversity-focused stock photography platform after many attempts to find quality stock photos of people of color on the leading stock platforms. With my experience being a tech entrepreneur and award-winning creative, I figured I could build it quickly via off-the-shelf photo management software and get it out to market, but somewhere in the process, I realized the software was sub-par, and the problem was much bigger than I originally realized. I was working on 3 other business ventures at that time and realized quickly that pocstock would take a focused effort by a lot of people and a significant amount of financial resources over a period of time to actually work, so I put the idea on the shelf and waited for the right time where it could get the serious attention it needed." - Steve Jones, Founder & CEO
Fast forward to 2018, pocstock was registered as a Wyoming LLC (Wyoming? Yes!). We then reformed as a Delaware C-Corp in 2019...
Help us celebrate by ordering your pocstock hoodie or t-shirt and posting a photo on social media this month!
Shop now at https://shop.pocstock.com/
Post a pic or video on social media wearing your pocstock swag, and tag us at @pocstock or use hashtag #pocday (or both)!
Thank you to our supporters
We want to thank everyone who supported our journey along the way, especially the folks who have gone way above and beyond for us and have made a significant impact on our trajectory.
Ericka Riggs , Vita M. Harris , Jennifer Comiteau , Brandon Cooke , Dee C. Marshall , Avis Yates Rivers , Anderson Diaz , Bettina Chavanne , Angela M. Guzman , Corey Smith , Emi Debos, CSM , MJ DePalma , Marcia D. Howard, Ph.D., CAE (she/her) , Keith L. , Chad Comiteau , ???? Lyneir Richardson , Lisa Hurley , Di Ciruolo , Tara Robertson, CPCC, ACC , Joe Campbell , Dominique Monet , Victor P. Torres , Jacob Lund , Armando "OUTthere" Diaz , Jonathan Cherins , Karen Q. Pisciotta , Shanel Anthony, MBA , Fred Toney , Omar Sillah , Kari Niles , Rick Jentis , Joelle Legree , Marcia Dukes, MBA , Chi Iregbulem-McGrath , Lisa Hafer , Desiree Pomales , Ajamu Johnson , Abenaa (Abby) Hayes (she/her/hers) , Kelly Fuller and so many more!
The Diversity Lens | An introductory guide to the I.D.E.A. of inclusive imagery
With the proliferation of digital technology, visual communications have become the predominant way organizations communicate to their core audiences. With an increased focus on diverse and inclusive engagement, visual communications must have guidelines on how to effectively communicate to people of color. The Diversity Lens provides some guidance on how we look at selecting and creating inclusive imagery.
The Diversity Lens is an introduction for anyone designing creative assets targeting people of color. Whether you’re an intern or junior creative, or a senior executive leader working in DEI, marketing, communications, creative,?or production teams, you will find some value in applying the principles of this guide to your daily workflow.
Disclaimer: This is only an introductory guide. In this abbreviated version, we do not cover everything, everywhere, or everyone. We will be adding to the guide over time, so keep checking back!
Check out the full version at https://www.pocstock.com/thediversitylens
Stock images are pre-existing photos, videos, and illustrations that have been created for use in?marketing, advertising, and communications. Diversity stock is content that considers the inclusion of a wide variety of underrepresented people.
The industry is moving towards more authentic stock imagery
The future of stock involves looking at who is included and how they are represented. We can all ask ourselves some questions before selecting or producing stock imagery.?Are the images relatable and authentic to the audience? Who is the hero of the image? Are we challenging or perpetuating harmful stereotypes?
What are some key differences between traditional stock images and authentic, "non-stocky" images?
While there is a place in marketing and advertising for both styles of stock images, agencies and brands are trending towards more authentic imagery.
What do traditional stock images look like?
In traditional stock images, the person is usually posing for the camera, sometimes in unnatural or exaggerated ways (not generally how average people are posed during their regular day).
You can spot a traditional stock image if the person is:
What makes an image look more authentic?
Authentic images look like the person in the photo is unaware they are being photographed. It looks like the photographer is a "fly on the wall" capturing a real moment in the person's life.
Stock images look more natural and authentic when the person is:
LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS OF INCLUSION
We provide free search services for our customers. You can contact our team to help you find the right inclusive stock imagery for your next project or campaign.
Picture this... Somewhere right now, there is a homogenous production team at an agency. It's just a few days before an amazingly creative and award-worthy commercial they've been working on for months is ready to be published. Looks good to everyone on the team, and then someone says, "Wait, we didn't include any diverse people?!?", and the scramble begins... We know, because we've been on the receiving end of those frantic 9-1-1 find-us-some-diversity calls.
Don't be THAT crew! Dial us in as early in the creative and production process as possible. Real inclusion starts in the idea stage, not during final edits.
"Over the past few years, we've done quite a few pitch meetings, training sessions, and capabilities presentations in front of all White creative and production teams. I mean teams with dozens of team members with zero diversity. If you haven't been on this side of the table, you'd imagine us feeling out of place or facing a cold room, but it's usually quite the opposite. These teams are usually eager to learn how to do better and to be more inclusive - they just don't know how. We are your how!" - Steve Jones ,
We've been asked some version of this uncomfortable question several times, "Do you think White photographers can capture beautiful images of people of color?"
The short answer is...drumroll...yes, of course they can!
The real question is, what connection does the photographer, producer, director, team, etc. have with the subject matter? Has the photographer taken the time to learn anything meaningful about the background, culture, lifestyle, history, passions, or stereotypes attached to the person in front of the lens?
Being inclusive on both sides of the lens means including other voices. It matters whose perspective the story is being told from.
One of the biggest challenges in getting diversity & inclusion right is that the people represented in the photos are not often the people on the other side of the lens nor contributing insights into the details.
领英推荐
We've built a global community of creators, and now we can create authentic content for our customers, using local talent almost anywhere in the world.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCLUSIVITY
Partner with us
Make sure to contact us to discuss your next project, or book us for a workshop where we open the lens fully to include stereotypes, skin tones, dominant narratives, global cultural insights, and more. You no longer have to worry about not knowing where to find diverse talent. We will grant you full access to ours!
For more info, visit us at https://www.pocstock.com/services
We're building an Inclusive AI Imaging Platform
With all of the cultural data we've curated over the years as well as our unique approach to inclusive imagery, we're uniquely positioned to build the world's most inclusive and culturally intelligent AI platform.
Sign up for early access at https://www.pocstock.ai/
Contact Chad Comiteau , Steve Jones , or DeSean Brown to invest or partner!
The biggest thing in diversity stock in the making!
We're building the world's most inclusive stock content platform, and we've curated over 200,000 stock photos, videos, and illustrations. We have received almost 300,000 assets over the past few years, and many do not make it through our rigorous curation process.
Where are all of the Black People conference & career fair in NYC
pocstock is a proud sponsor and supporter of this amazing initiative by The One Club for Creativity. It was our pleasure to provide professional LinkedIn headshots to these young Black people seeking careers in advertising.
Int'l Digital Media Licensing Conference in San Francisco
We are new members and sponsors of this year's IDMLC conference, by Digital Media Licensing Association - DMLA . Thank you to Leslie Hughes , Mark Milstein , Erica Kolin, CMM , and the whole team for including our Chief Relationship Officer, DeSean Brown , on the DEI panel along with Christina Vaughan ( Cultura Creative ), Lori Rodney ( Shutterstock ), and Debbie Grossman ( Adobe ).
Let us know how we're doing
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Sign up today! All-new pricing plans, including a FREE account!
You asked, we listened. We're excited to announce that we just launched a new a la carte plan on our platform.?
Some of our customers have asked for a plan that allows them access to our platform to browse or purchase content occasionally vs a monthly subscription plan. While there is incredible value in our monthly subscription plans, including the huge cost savings, this new a la carte plan will provide some of our newer customers with greater flexibility to get to know us.?Sign up today!
We are working on additional pricing options and features to meet the needs of our diverse, global customer base. Keep letting us know how we're doing, we love feedback! Join us, and grow with us!
Creators wanted!
We're looking for authentic content from every corner of the world. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned pro, if you capture images featuring people of color - show us your work! If you're a lifestyle, event, or editorial photographer, we have project and assignment work as well! Sign up today!
We're growing and want you to grow with us.
Here's how you can join us, work with us, and partner with us!
If you've made it this far down, you're truly an ally and supporter, and for that, we sincerely thank you! Please like, share, comment, and help us make pocstock a household name!
Thank you from our amazing team: Michael C. Carter, Mary J. Sansait, Derrick Larane, Nathalie Heywood Smith (she/her/us), Nyla Christian, Chad Comiteau, Kevin Noel, Sheilla Tendero, Jennifer Comiteau, Armando "OUTthere" Diaz, Jade Andal, Glenda De Chavez, Merjohn Christian Tendero, Afotey Annum , Fred Sly and Dominic Saraum
It's wonderful to see pocstock championing diversity & inclusivity through the Diversity Lens! ??? Maya Angelou once said, "In diversity there is beauty and there is strength." Your initiative beautifully embodies this. As we celebrate strengths in diversity, Treegens invites pocstock to join our upcoming Guinness World Record for Tree Planting - a chance to unite diverse communities for a sustainable cause! ?? Let's make history together: https://bit.ly/TreeGuinnessWorldRecord #UnityInDiversity #Sustainability #Treegens
???Love seeing innovative approaches like The Diversity Lens @pocstock! Maya Angelou once said, “In diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Your work beautifully embodies this, paving the way for more inclusive visuals in our world ??. Can't wait to see how it evolves - Happy 4th Anniversary ??! #DiversityIsStrength #PocstockCelebration #InclusiveFuture
Founder & CEO of Technology Concepts Group, Change Leader and Advocate for women in Tech. 50 Fastest Women-owned company, EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist in New Jersey
1 年Congratulations, pocstock! You're showing the world the way.
?? Director of Marketing | Building Brand Impact through Strategy, Creativity, and Collaboration
1 年Loved reading about the many milestones in thr past 4 years. Congrats!
Congratulations! You changed the landscape for our image library and helped us make a real impact with diversity and representation. Everyone from the photogs to the models to your strategy team (I see you DeSean Brown) played a role in inspiring the messaging and tone. Thank you!