Getty Images’ new ‘Visual GPS’ report finds four ‘Forces’ guiding consumers

30-second summary: A new “Visual GPS” report from Getty Images and research firm YouGov finds four Forces influence decision-making by consumers, and thus should be considered by brands when they choose images. The four Forces: Wellness, Technology, Sustainability and Realness. The report provides visual examples of each driving Force, in the form of related galleries. In a new study called “ Visual GPS ,” Getty Images and market research firm YouGov has sifted data to find what kind of visual content most engages today’s consumers and helps them make decisions. The photo archive says the new study is not just another “visual trends” report, but is instead the first of its kind. The report describes four Forces that influence people’s behaviors, decisions and experiences, and calls them the “driving concepts behind current and future visual trends.” They are: Wellness, Technology, Sustainability and Realness. Instead of looking only at what images are selling, the report combines external and custom market research about consumer behavior and values, insights that are internal to Getty, and search data from Getty Images and Getty-owned iStock.com. Getty says its study surveyed more than 10,000 consumers and professionals in 13 languages over 26 countries. Wellness The purpose of identifying the four Forces, according Getty’s Global Head of Creative Insights Dr. Rebecca Swift, is to “arm brands with the very best understandings so that they can better choose visuals which align with their aims and target audiences.” The Forces, she told ClickZ via email, are powerful influences “on the way people behave, and, ultimately, the way they make decisions.” Swift added that the four Forces can increase or decrease in intensity or over time, “depending on who and where you are in the world.” Wellness isn’t only about physical health or body image, but also includes emotional, mental, spiritual, family and relationship fitness. “It’s up to brands to take more of a 360-degree view of a life lived well,” the report says. Audiences that are more responsive to Wellness imagery tend to be more female, value “kindness” and “joy” in life, and have higher incomes. Since Wellness is fueled by celebration and togetherness, a gallery of images on this theme represents one aspect of this force. Here’s a sample image: Credit: AsiaVision / Getty Images Technology Technology, says Getty, is not necessarily about devices, but about people’s relationships to tech. The driver is a desire for more efficiency …
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