iStock started back in 2000 with only a handful of photos and a founder with a dream to provide quality stock photos to the web. iStock formerly known as iStockPhoto has now undergone an entire branding change focusing primarily on a shorter name: iStock and their quality of service they provide to their customers. iStock has since 2000 built up a gigantic library of stock photography, videos, music, sound effects and vector illustrations. They are your go to specialists when it comes to stock photography and other mediums.
In 2002, iStock began selling credits. Now you could get a high-quality image for under a dollar, and the artist who contributed it got paid a royalty. It was an entirely new way of doing things. Some people called it the birth of ‘microstock’. They just called it iStock.
Now with that slight introduction, let’s jump in a bit further and see what changes have been made at iStock.
Why they are Rebranding iStock and why now?
The rebrand is about three things:
They’re marrying the freshness, innovation, and strength of the iStock brand to the quality, heritage, and credibility of Getty Images. They learned through customer research that their customers see Getty Images as a prestige brand with a strong reputation. Many were unaware that iStock was even owned by Getty Images, even though the acquisition happened seven years ago. Adding “by Getty Images” to iStock associates the cache of Getty Images with the “for creatives, by creatives” appeal of iStock. In addition, they’re adding consistency to the Getty Images family of brands. Thinkstock by Getty Images, was rebranded earlier this year and they’ve received great feedback on this change. They want customers to view each of Getty Images’ brands as a family which offers a one-stop-shop solution, regardless of project and budget.
They’re dropping the “photo” from iStock’s name because they feel it no longer reflects the breadth of content available. When the site launched in 2001, it was completely centered on stock photos. Today iStock offers millions of hand-picked photos, as well as vectors, illustrations, videos and audio tracks.
Unveiling a simplified, stand-out logo signifies the recent changes they’ve made to simplify their search experience, adjust pricing, and add new exclusive imagery.
Better pricing
With three options to choose from you can decide whether you would like to buy individual credits, run a subscription or open a corporate account dependent on your needs. With the new rebranding introduction, iStock announced that they have lowered their pricing by 50% on certain avenues and with buying individual credits you can now save up to 25% of the amount you would have usually spent. That is quite an announcement. No more having to break the bank in order to get some high quality photos.
Free Stock Files Weekly
There are quality free files available weekly for you to download. As quoted by iStock: “Free the Creative is our mission to help you do your best creative work and inspire you along the way. iStock by Getty Images makes it easier for you to find original stock content faster, at prices your already-bruised budget can take. And when you start to get twitchy from staring at pixels, we’ve got tons of creative kindling to stoke the fire.” Check out the Free Files
Friendly Navigation + New Advanced Search
One of the most important factors of searching for stock photography is the ease of use on the site. iStock presents you with a quality search algorithm from the get go, making suggestions for searches and helps you narrow down your photo topic or word that you are looking for. The search functions also enable you to narrow down on your requirements and budget. Giving you an easily adjustable slider to keep your budget constrained for your photo purchases. The search also helps you identify your keywords, chosen medium, license agreements, colors, sizes and much, much more. The possibilities are endless and unique when it comes to iStock.
Focused on Quality
iStock has always kept a high level of quality surrounding their available products, but I couldn’t help but notice that their newly submitted content is superior to their earlier content. They don’t just let anybody submit photos anymore and each product needs to go through a few check points in order to become eligible for feature on the site. It’s an important part of business to keep quality high as you know that you keep deliver to your customers exactly what they want and need.
14% OFF courtesy of iStock and Creativeoverflow
iStock has decided to offer the Creativeoverflow readers with a 14% discount until the end of November 2013. Make sure to grab your coupon code below.